Latest news with #CircuitCriminalCourt
The Journal
27-05-2025
- The Journal
Woman whose former husband sexually abused their young daughter pleads guilty to child cruelty
A WOMAN WHOSE former husband subjected their young daughter from the age of three onwards to a litany of sexual abuse including rape on an almost daily basis pleaded guilty at a sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court today to cruelty to a child contrary to the Childrens' Act 1908. The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty on an amended indictment before a jury at Castlebar Courthouse to two sample charges that she exposed her child to assault, ill-treatment and neglect in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health. The mother's ex husband is currently serving an eighteen year prison sentence for the offences. The offences were committed at addresses in the west of Ireland between 3 January 1995 and 31 December 1995, and January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000. Garda Inspector Thomasina McHale, responding to prosecuting counsel Patricia McLaughlin S.C., told the court that the investigation into the victim's mother was secondary to an extensive historical sexual abuse allegation involving the victim's father. Inspector McHale said the abuse against the victim between 1988 and 2001, when she was aged between three and sixteen, included touching her genitals, digital penetration, penetration with objects including vibrators, a candle and the handle of a hairbrush. Advertisement 'It happened on a daily basis,' the officer stated. 'It happened in multiple rooms in the house, frequently in the bathroom, the sitting room, her parents' bedroom, her bedroom and in the car as well'. Defence counsel Desmond Dockery S.C. told the court the accused was pleading guilty to two counts on a full facts basis of wilfully exposing a child to ill treatment in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury. She was not pleading to sexual assault or physical ill treatment (of the victim) nor was she accused of that. Counsel added that she was not pleading to having knowledge of the depth, extent and depravity and nature of the abuse committed although there were signs and reasons for her to suspect that her daughter had been subject to some inappropriate attention. Ms McLaughlin, prosecuting counsel, said it was not the prosecution case that the accused witnessed all of the actual acts that were happening but it was certainly the prosecution's case that the acts were happening at such a frequency and in multiple rooms in the house on a daily basis that she certainly knew that something was happening to her daughter. Remanding the accused on continuing bail, Judge Sinead McMullan put back sentencing until October for mention. The judge acceded to a request from Mr. Dockery for psychological assessment for the accused as well a Probation Report 'given the peculiar nature of the case', in the words of the senior counsel. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
27-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Govt to issue apology to family of Shane O'Farrell
The Government will issue an apology to the family of a Co Monaghan man who was killed in a hit-and-run incident almost 14 years ago. The apology follows years of campaigning by the family of 23-year-old Shane O'Farrell, who was killed while out cycling near his home in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, on 2 August 2011. The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gridziuska, should have been in custody at the time of the killing. Gridziuska left the scene but later handed himself into gardaí. Gridzuiska had been a regular defendant before the District and Circuit Criminal courts in Monaghan, Cavan and Louth in the years prior to the killing. Seven months before the hit-and-run, he was before the Circuit Criminal Court on a number of theft charges. Judge John O'Hagan deferred his sentencing on that day, but ordered that the Lithuanian national be brought back before him if he committed any more offences and he would be jailed. Just months later, Gridziuska was convicted of five charges of theft at Ardee District Court - but he was not brought back before Judge O'Hagan as ordered and received a suspended sentence. The judge at the Ardee court was not informed of Judge O'Hagan's order. This afternoon, following years of campaigning by the O'Farrell family, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will offer them a public apology in Dáil. The family have long called for a public inquiry to be set up into the justice system that they say "failed" Shane - something that Minister O'Callaghan also previously called for when in opposition. The O'Farrell family are expected to be in the Dáil to hear the apology.
RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Minister for Justice to deliver public apology to family of Shane O'Farrell
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will deliver a public apology to the family of hit-and-run victim Shane O'Farrell in the Dáil next week. The apology follows years of campaigning by the family of the 23-year-old who was killed while out cycling near his home in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, on 2 August 2011. The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gridziuska, should have been in custody at the time of the killing. In a statement today to Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin on RTÉ Radio 1, Shane's mother, Lucia said: "We note Minister O Callaghan will make an apology to Shane on Tuesday. "Shane's case raises serious issues about how the criminal justice system works and how it ought to work. "We await the apology on Tuesday." Gridzuiska had been a regular defendant before the District and Circuit Criminal courts in Monaghan, Cavan and Louth in the years prior to the killing. Seven months before the hit-and-run, he was before the Circuit Criminal Court on a number of theft charges. Judge John O'Hagan deferred his sentencing on that day, but ordered that the Lithuanian national be brought back before him if he committed any more offences and he would be jailed. Just months later, Gridziuska was convicted of five charges of theft at Ardee District Court - but he was not brought back before Judge O'Hagan as ordered and received a suspended sentence. The judge at the Ardee court was not informed of Judge O'Hagan's order.
Agriland
23-05-2025
- Agriland
Court: Man who stole sheep and cut throat of pregnant ewe jailed
By Anne Lucey A 29-year old man who stole a sheep and also cut the throat of a pregnant ewe near Killarney in Co. Kerry has been handed down a 16-month sentence, with six months suspended. A victim impact statement by farmer Con O'Riordan at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee spoke of his horror and shock at what he came upon. The farmer, who had to pay the costs of the disposal of the animal, also said that the barbaric act has not left him. Richard Daroczi, previously of Ely O'Carroll Place, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, and a Hungarian native, pleaded guilty to stealing 'a ewe sheep in lamb' worth €500, the property of Con O'Riordan on January 5 at Cummeenabrick, Clonkeen, Kerry. He also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013. Daroczi was assisted by a Hungarian translator and represented by barrister Kate O'Connell, instructed by solicitor Eimear Griffin. Sheep In evidence, Garda Sergeant Nigel Shevlin said that Con O'Riordan is a sheep farmer living in Kilgarvan who has land at Cummeenabrick, Clonkeen. 'It's sheep country and there are no residential properties there,' he said. The court heard that the flock were in lamb. At 12.45p.m on January 5, Richard Daroczi pulled up at O'Brien's Filling Station and got fuel and drove off without paying, the garda outlined. That afternoon Con O'Riordan was on his land and he saw the accused with one of the sheep, which was a ewe in lamb. Daroczi said the sheep was his. He had cut the throat of the sheep. Gardaí were alerted and the accused had fled but his car was there. The ewe was identified by the tag, Sergeant Shevlin said. Two days later, entrails of another animal was found in the locality by neighbours. 'The accused man's car had been searched and meat was found, but that animal could not be identified as the tag had been removed,' Sergeant Shevlin added. The next day, a man met the accused at a filling station in Tralee and the accused offered to sell him a lamb. Sergeant Shevlin said that what the accused was doing was going to remote areas to take sheep and killing them to butcher them and then sell them on to members of the public. Farmer A victim impact statement was read by Sergeant Shevlin on behalf of Con O'Riordan, who was in court. The farmer told how he came 'across this man carrying a knife and he had an animal beside him and its throat was cut'. 'I was and am still shocked by this, I had never seen anything like it before and never wish to see it again. 'It was the sheer barbarity of it and his attitude when I met him. He didn't care at all, it was like he thought there was something wrong with me for caring. He showed no remorse.' 'The two ewes would have hardly come to €500 and to add insult to injury I had to pay another man €200 to remove the other sheep away to prevent them being butchered,' he said. O'Riordan said it had never struck him previously that such a thing could happen, but ' it was always in his head now this could happen again'. Katie O'Connell, defence barrister said her client 'is very apologetic' and that he had been homeless at the time. 'He never came to attention of gardaí for anything like this before. He seems to have just gone off the rails entirely. He was homeless at the time and trying to sell the sheep,' she said. Jail Judge Ronan Munro said that he understood why Con O'Riordan was shocked. He said the accused is entitled to credit for his plea of guilty, and sentenced him to a total of 16 months – 10 for the theft of the sheep; six for the cruelty, and the fuel theft was also taken into consideration. The final six months of the sentence has been suspended for three years. The sentence of 10 months was backdated to January 25. Richard Daroczi was ordered to stay away from Con O'Riordan's land and stay out of Kenmare and Kilgarvan.
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Man jailed for cutting sheep's throat and stealing another from Kerry farm
A man who stole a sheep and also cut the throat of a pregnant sheep near Killarney has been handed down a 16-month sentence with six months suspended. At the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee, a victim impact statement by farmer Con O'Riordan spoke of his horror and shock at what he came upon. The barbaric act has not left him, the farmer who had to pay the costs of the disposal added. Hungarian native Richard Daroczi, aged 29, previously of Ely O'Carroll Place, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to stealing 'a ewe sheep in lamb' worth €500, the property of Con O'Riordan on January 5, at Cummeenabrick, Clonkeen, Co Kerry. He also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013. He was assisted by Hungarian translator and was represented by barrister Kate O'Connell, instructed by Eimear Griffin solicitor. Garda Sergeant Nigel Shevlin told Tom Rice, prosecuting, that Mr O'Riordan is a sheep farmer living in Kilgarvan who has land at Cummeenabrick, Clonkeen. "It's sheep country and there are no residential properties there," Sgt Shevlin said. At 12.45pm on January 5 last, Daroczi pulled up at O'Brien's filling station, got fuel, and drove off without paying, the garda outlined. That afternoon, Mr O'Riordan was on his land and he saw the accused with one of the sheep — which was a ewe in lamb. Daroczi said the sheep was his. He had cut the throat of the sheep. Gardaí were alerted and came from Cork. The accused had fled, but his car was there. The ewe was identified by the tag, the sergeant said. Sale offer Two days later, entrails of another animal was found in the locality by neighbours. "The accused man's car had been searched and meat was found," added Sgt Shevlin, "but that animal could not be identified as the tag had been removed." The next day, a man met the accused at a filling station in Tralee and the accused had offered to sell him a lamb. The accused was going to remote areas, taking sheep and killing them to butcher them and then sell them on to members of the public, Sgt Shelvin told Mr Rice. A victim impact statement read by Sgt Shelvin from Mr O'Riordan, who was in court, told how he came 'across this man carrying a knife, and he had an animal beside him and its throat was cut. I was and am still shocked by this, I had never seen anything like it before and never wish to see it again 'It was the sheer barbarity of it and his attitude when I met him. He didn't care at all, it was like he thought there was something wrong with me for caring. He showed no remorse. 'The two ewes would have hardly come to €500 and to add insult to injury, I had to pay another man €200 to remove the other sheep away to prevent them being butchered.' Apologetic Mr O'Riordan said that the fact that such a thing could happen had never struck him previously, but 'it was always in his head now that this could happen again'. Ms O'Connell said her client 'is very apologetic' , adding that he had been homeless at the time. 'He never came to attention of gardaí for anything like this before. He seems to have just gone off the rails entirely. He was homeless at the time and trying to sell the sheep," she said. Judge Ronan Munro said that he understood why Mr O'Riordan was shocked. He said the accused is entitled to credit for his plea of guilty. He sentenced him to a total of 16 months — 10 months for the theft of the sheep; six months for the cruelty, and the fuel theft was taken into consideration. The final six months has been suspended for three years. The sentence of 10 months was back dated to January 25. Daroczi is to stay away from Mr O'Riordan's land and stay out of Kenmare and Kilgarvan.
