By Liz Farsaci

A record number of former drug users who got their lives back on track graduated from the Dublin district drugs court today.

Four men graduated from the Drug Treatment Court during the ceremony making it the highest number of participants graduating at any one time in the court’s 16-year history.

People are sent to the drug court, based at Green Street Courthouse, Dublin 7 as an alternative to custody for minor drugs-related offences.

They participate in a programme aimed at helping them become drug free. They can graduate once they have become drug free and secure full-time training, education or employment. ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

Colleagues have paid tribute to former District Court Judge Clare Leonard, who has died after a short illness.

Appointed in 1992, Judge Leonard is best remembered for her long period of service in the Children’s Court in Dun Laoghaire district court. She retired from the bench in 2013.

District Court president, Judge Rosemary Horgan, said Judge Leonard had “served with a sincere, sensitive, intelligent and patient manner. She has also contributed to the legal world through her work on legal studies, especially through her writings on xenophobia and racism.

President Horgan said that Judge Leonard had faced the “greatest challenge” in ….read more

THE case against a 63-year-old man charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a young Dublin mother has been sent forward for trial by jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Anthony Handley, of Whitethorn Grove in Artane, Dublin appeared before Balbriggan District Court charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Olivia Dunne and causing serious bodily harm to her baby Aoibhe Dunne at Dublin Road in Balbriggan on January 17th last year.

Olivia Dunne (31), a primary school teacher from Balrothery in Balbriggan, Co Dublin was killed after saving her five-month-old baby’s life by pushing her buggy away from an ….read more

Man who was drunk and urinated in public avoids prison sentence

A MAN who was drunk and urinated on a street in front of members of the public in what a judge called ‘animalistic behaviour’ has avoided a prison sentence after he was deemed suitable for community service work.

Artur Pietrynka (40), of Convent Lane in Rush, has been ordered to complete 240 hours community service work in lieu of a two month prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to urinating on Upper Main Street in Rush on November 22nd.

He further pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and using threatening and abusive behaviour ….read more

A YOUNG man who had a baseball bat while wearing a balaclava as a hat claimed he he was ‘out to seek revenge’ on people who had attempted to burgle his house, a court has heard.

Blain Doyle was warned by Judge Dermot Dempsey that he ‘cannot be taking the law into his own hands,’ and sentenced him to three months in prison, which he suspended for two years.

Doyle (22), of Glenshesk Road in Whiltehall, Dublin 9, pleaded guilty at Swords District Court to being in possession of the baseball bat on November 8th last year at Brackenstown Road in Swords.

Garda ….read more

Man who drove for third time without insurance has case adjourned

A man who drove without insurance for a third time has had his case adjourned as the Probation Service require further time to assess his ability to do community service work.

Mark Sheehan (25) has 15 previous convictions and received a six month suspended sentence and a six year driving disqualification last September for drink driving, less than a year after he was stopped for driving without insurance for the third time.

Sheehan, of Dun Emer Green in Lusk, pleaded guilty before Swords District Court to driving without insurance on August 30th, ….read more

“Grab and Run” thief sentenced to two months after he robbed a shop to pay a drugs debt

A MAN who stole money from a Polish shop’s cash register to pay off a drugs debt has sentenced to two months in prison.

Dean Whelan (27) waited for the cash register in the shop to be opened before he grabbed €85 and ran out of the shop in what was described as a ‘grab and run’ theft.

Whelan, of Woodhazel Terrace in Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Swords District Court to the theft of €85 in cash from Little Polska shop in Boroimhe in Swords ….read more

A MAN has been given a four month suspended sentence for having a combat knife strapped to his ankle while in a garda station.

Derek Guildea (51) claimed he was handing the knife over to gardai and had no intention of using it in a criminal way, Balbriggan District Court has heard.

Guildea, of Trimblestown, Hamlet Lane in Balbriggan, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing the combat knife at Balbriggan Garda Station on October 24 last year.

Sergeant Tony Tighe told the court that Guildea walked into the garda station and was speaking in an aggressive manner.

“He reached down to his right ….read more

Woman who stole nearly €1.8k worth of children’s clothes in a ‘desperate act’ has been given the Probation Act

A WOMAN who stole nearly €1,800 worth of children’s clothes from a supermarket in what was described as an act of desperation has been given the benefit of the Probation Act after she made a charitable donation.

A second woman involved in the theft, who did not turn up for court, has been convicted and fined €300.

Eileen McDonagh (36) and Carolyn Ward (29), both with an address at Tara Lawns, Belcamp Lane in Dublin 17, had both previously pleaded guilty to the theft ….read more

A MAN who burgled a North Dublin pet shop which resulted in over €600 worth of birds dying due to shock and the cold has been sentenced to three months in prison.

Sean Brady (34) was arrested for the burglary after his blood was found at the scene, Swords District Court has heard.

Brady, of Clonliffe Road in Drumcondra, had pleaded guilty to the burglary at Kinsealy Pet Store on October 24th, 2013.

Garda Killian Layden gave evidence that around 10.30pm the owner of the store, Aidan O’Connor became aware there was an intruder in the pet store.

Mr O’Connor saw a male fleeing ….read more