A fraudster who ran up bills of nearly €9,000 and enjoyed “fine wine and dining” at two five star Dublin hotels using a stolen credit card has been jailed for one year.

UK national Carlos Michael Mason (31) lived “a very good life” in the Shelbourne and the Westbury hotels over a three-week period earlier this year, Judge Martin Nolan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today.

Mason has 71 previous convictions in a number of countries, many of which are for theft and fraud. “He is incorrigible,” Judge Nolan said.

Mason, with an address in Crowlane Walk, London, pleaded guilty to two counts ….read more

A drugs smuggler who stashed 73 pellets of cocaine in a wine box because he couldn’t face ingesting them has been jailed for two years.

Alfa So (31) from Lisbon, Portugal, was stopped by customs officers when he flew into Dublin airport on July 3 last year. When they searched his bag, officers found just over €51,000 worth of cocaine squeezed into a wine box.

So, who has no previous convictions, told gardaí he wanted to sell the cocaine for profit so he could buy a farm with some cattle and goats for his family back in Portugal.

“My intention was not to ….read more

A man who brought gardaí on a high speed cross-city chase before causing the garda car to crash into a wall has been jailed for five years.

Garda Thomas Bialkowski suffered severe eye and facial injuries after the butt of his firearm hit him in the face after his garda car crashed in Tallaght in the early hours of December 29, 2018.

Thomas Stokes (30), the driver of the car, was caught a short time later after trying to flee the scene. He has 171 previous convictions, including 88 for road traffic offences.

Stokes, with an address at Anne Street, Newbridge, o ….read more

A Moldovan man who “savagely attacked” and fractured the skull and spine of a stranger who now feels he is “living through a death sentence” has been jailed for 32 months.

Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said it could be argued that for some assaults the maximum sentence of five years imprisonment is too low.

alerian Burcovsehi (33) with an address at Stonebridge Drive, Hartstown, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Price’s Lane, Dublin 2, on 26 April, 2019. He has no previous convictions.

Detective Garda Christopher Fitzgerald told Philipp Rahn BL, prosecuting, that ….read more

A man who committed a series of knife-point robberies while on bail for earlier robberies has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Richard O’Doherty (24), of Kilfenora Road, Crumlin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robberies at Maxol Station, Harold’s Cross and Centra, Kimmage Road Lower, both on June 23, 2019.

O’Doherty also pleaded guilty to robberies on Kimmage Road Lower, on August 8, 2019, November 24, 2019, and November 25, 2019. He pleaded guilty to a further count of attempted robbery at Spar, Rathmines Road Lower, on December 20, 2019.

Garda Stephen Forster told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that on ….read more

An armed drug addict robbed his local service station while wearing tights on his head before threatening to stab an off-duty garda who tried to detain him, a court has heard.

Ciaran O’Brien then jumped into his car and then drove straight at the garda, causing him to jump out of the way to avoid being run over, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

O’Brien (36) with an address at St Patrick’s Park, Celbridge, Co Kildare pleaded guilty to robbing the Applegreen Service Station at Celbridge on November 27 last year. He also pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill Garda ….read more

A robber who ransacked and stole a laptop from an unlocked ambulance as the paramedic was taking care of a patient has been for jailed for three years.

Alex Harris (38) of Sackville Avenue, Ballybough, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of burglary and stealing a laptop on dates between July 26, 2019 and November 4, 2019. He was on bail when he stole the laptop.

Garda Charlene Doyle told Michael Hourigan BL, prosecuting, that a paramedic had parked his ambulance on Dorset Street Upper, in Dublin, to deal with a patient. He left the doors closed ….read more

A man with more than 170 convictions brought gardaí on a high speed cross-city chase before causing the garda car to crash into a wall, a Dublin court has heard.

Garda Thomas Bialkowski suffered severe eye and facial injuries when the butt of his firearm hit him in the face after his garda car crashed in Tallaght in the early hours of December 29, 2018.

Thomas Stokes (30), the driver of the car, was caught a short time later after trying to flee the scene. He has 171 previous convictions, including 88 for road traffic offences.

Stokes, with an address at Anne Street, ….read more

(Pictured: TD Aengus O Snodaigh. Credit: Collins)

A man who carried out a string of burglaries at commercial premises, including a Sinn Fein constituency office, has been jailed for three years.

Shane Cooney and an accomplice broke into the constituency office of TD Aengus O Snodaigh and Senator Maire Devine on March 20, 2018 and stole laptops, mobile phones and other items, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

Cooney (29) with an address at Kilmainham Square, Inchicore, Dublin also pleaded guilty to carrying out burglaries at Insomnia coffee shop and Tesco Express on South Circular Road on April 5, 2018 and at Puro, ….read more

An Israeli teenager who was caught bringing nearly €20,000 worth of a plant stimulant into Dublin airport has received a fully suspended sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ruth Ben Haim (19) had the plant “khat” in her bags when she was stopped after arriving on a flight from Finland. The plant acts as a stimulant when the leaves are chewed and is legal in Israel in the plant form.

Ben Haim from Tel Aviv, Israel, and with an address here at Rathfarnham Road, Terenure, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply ….read more