Man’s triple-murder trial and Riad Bouchaker’s sentencing among cases coming in new legal term

A Co Louth man’s trial on triple murder charges and the sentencing of Riad Bouchaker for the attempted murder of three children in Dublin are among the cases due before the courts in the new law term starting next week.The new legal year opens on Tuesday amid mounting concern about the adverse impact on the entire criminal justice system of the continuing withdrawal of services by criminal defence solicitors over a new criminal legal aid payment model for the District Courts introduced by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. A big security presence is expected on Tuesday outside the Courts of Criminal Justice, where alleged crime gang leader Daniel Kinahan is due to appear before the non-jury Special Criminal Court (SCC). Kinahan (49), charged with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017, will be updated on the preparation of the book of evidence. READ MORELast August, the Dubliner became the first Irish person extradited from the United Arab Emirates under a new permanent extradition treaty, which came into force last year. Separately, at the SCC on Tuesday, James Leen faces trial on charges connected with the largest ever seizure of crystal meth in the State. Leen (43), of Pilgrim Hill, Kilmorna, Listowel, Co Kerry, is accused of importing methylamphetamine, more commonly known as crystal meth, into Cork Port on October 16th, 2023, with the value of the drug being greater than €13,000. He is further charged with possession of the drug at the former Ballyseedy Garden Centre between October 27th, 2023 and February 12th, 2024, possession of crystal meth worth more than €13,000; possession for sale or supply and directing the activities of a criminal organisation within the State between February 7th, 2023, and February 16th, 2024.In the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, Robert O’Connor, of Drumgowna, Co Louth, is due to go on trial charged with the murders of his mother Louise, father Mark and brother Evan at Drumgowna on September 29th, 2025.That same day, the Court of Appeal will hear an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecution over alleged undue leniency of an eight-year sentence imposed on Richard Brennan, a former priest, for sexually abusing his three sisters in their south Dublin home.[ Brothers’ abuse of sisters was hidden in Dublin family for yearsOpens in new window ]Brennan’s sisters – Paula Fay, Catherine Wrightstone and Yvonne Crist – had expressed “deep disappointment” over the sentence imposed at the Central Criminal Court in July 2025. The global eight-year sentence was imposed after Brennan admitted 24 offences, including raping Fay and Wrightstone when they were minors, in the family home in Rathfarnham when he was aged between 16 and 24. The Court of Appeal is to rule on October 6th on the appeal by former Irish soldier Lisa Smith against her conviction by the SCC of membership of a terrorist organisation, Islamic State.Smith (43), from Dundalk, Co Louth, became the first person to be convicted in an Irish court of an Islamist terrorist offence committed abroad when the SCC found she joined Isis when she travelled to Syria in 2015. Smith had denied membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015, and December 1st, 2019. After being refused an appeal against her 15-month sentence, she appealed her conviction. On October 8th, directions are due to be made by the High Court to manage the hearing of an appeal by teacher Enoch Burke over his dismissal from his position as a teacher at Wilson’s Hospital School in Co Westmeath. The appeal is another step in the long-running litigation between Burke and the school dating back to his August 2022 suspension as a teacher arising from his behaviour at a school religious service in June 2022. On October 12th, Riad Bouchaker, a native of Algeria of no fixed abode, faces a sentencing hearing after being found guilty by unanimous jury verdict last July at the Central Criminal Court of the attempted murder of three young children at Parnell Square, Dublin, on November 23rd, 2023.One child, then a five-year-old girl, suffered what doctors described as “lifelong” and “life-limiting” severe brain and other injuries, requiring 24-hour care, when she was stabbed in the heart. Another five-year-old girl underwent surgery to repair a non-penetrating laceration to her scalp and dislodging of a skull fragment and was discharged the following day. A six-year-old boy had a nick on his neck treated with paper stitches.Bouchaker will also be sentenced on other charges, including intentionally inflicting serious harm on childcare worker Leanne Flynn, who suffered serious injuries requiring life-saving surgery after being stabbed in the back when she tried to protect the children. In all, Bouchaker was found guilty of eight charges connected with the attack at Parnell Square which sparked violent riots in Dublin that night. [ The inside story of the Riad Bouchaker trial: Horror and heroism at Parnell SquareOpens in new window ]In the High Court, there will be intense interest within the legal world in an October 13th judgment from Judge Mary Rose Gearty on a judicial review challenge by criminal defence solicitor John Quinn to the legal-aid payment model introduced by O’Callaghan on July 1st. It sparked the withdrawal of legal-aid services by many solicitors, resulting in the adjournment of thousands of cases, with adverse impacts for accused people, crime victims and all involved in the criminal justice system. Quinn’s case is aimed at quashing the statutory instrument underpinning the new payment model. The legal-aid dispute has separately led since July to a flood of applications to the High Court over the legality of the detention of accused people, including on behalf of people unable to secure legal representation when seeking bail. The High Court applications, which must be prioritised because they concern a person’s liberty, are expected to continue into October. Later in October, the Supreme Court will hear appeals by Kerry Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly and Dublin South-West People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy against the High Court’s rejection of their challenge over “super junior” ministers attending Cabinet meetings.In separate cases, both deputies contended only Government Ministers could attend Cabinet meetings and the attendance of super junior ministers, who are appointed by the Taoiseach, breached Cabinet confidentiality. In November, Samantha O’Reilly (38), and Steven Cummins (39), both of Cherry Orchard Green, Ballyfermot, are due back before Dublin District Court on charges alleging they committed perjury during Conor McGregor’s appeal against a civil High Court jury finding that he raped Nikita Hand.Both are charged with giving a statement they knew to be false at Lincoln Lane, Dublin 7, on January 14th, 2025. O’Reilly faces an additional charge of giving a statement she knew to be false on May 6th, 2025. When they appeared before Dublin District Court on September 29th last, they were remanded on bail to appear again on November 9th. The DPP has opted for trial by indictment, meaning the case will ultimately proceed before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.Later in November, an appeal by jailed solicitor Michael Lynn against his conviction for stealing more than €18 million from six financial institutions during the Celtic Tiger era is listed for hearing before the Court of Appeal. Lynn previously lost an appeal over the severity of the 5½-year sentence imposed for those offences. [ Disgraced former solicitor Michael Lynn carries out community service in lieu of detentionOpens in new window ]