The Court of Criminal Appeal annulled a grievous bodily harm conviction on 3 September 2026 because the Court of Magistrates cited article 216 without its paragraph. The case returns for a fresh judgment. It matters to anyone appealing a summary conviction.
The Court of Criminal Appeal held on 26 August 2026 that an accused who maintained her admission cannot plead moral coercion on appeal, and left a 39-month sentence unchanged. It matters to lawyers advising clients before they admit.
The Criminal Court adopted an agreed 15-year sentence and €15,000 fine for cannabis trafficking offences, holding that a late admission still weighed because no jury had been empanelled. Relevant to lawyers negotiating plea agreements.
The Court of Magistrates jailed a man for nine months for attacking a woman in a car park, after rejecting an alibi built on unauthenticated photographs and documents. Relevant to defence lawyers preparing an alibi.
The Court of Magistrates gave a suspended sentence with supervision, treatment and restraining orders to a woman who admitted domestic violence against two relatives, holding that the parties' proposal did not bind it. Relevant to lawyers in summary domestic violence cases.
The Court of Criminal Appeal found a former local council official guilty of corruption and money laundering after he made a contractor pay 10% before releasing money due. Relevant to lawyers in public corruption and laundering cases.
The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed a public officer's appeal against a 39-month prison term for misappropriation, fraud and forgery. Relevant to anyone defending a client who repaid the money only after proceedings began.
The Court of Criminal Appeal annulled a cigarette-smuggling conviction because the Court of Magistrates found the accused guilty of Criminal Code charges without citing the Criminal Code articles, and sent the case back for a fresh judgment.
The Court of Criminal Appeal held that a man who signed for two controlled-delivery parcels of cannabis had the drugs within his sphere of control although the police had swapped them for dummies, and added a possession conviction to his importation sentence.
The Court of Criminal Appeal held that a sentencing court need not order a psychiatric report where intent is not in dispute, and that article 98A rules out a suspended sentence for article 96 offences. It matters to defence counsel pleading on sentence.
The Court of Criminal Appeal holds that a charge of continuing offence is not a separate offence, and that noise prosecutions for different periods do not breach ne bis in idem. It matters to anyone defending or prosecuting repeated conduct.
The Court of Criminal Appeal revoked a five-year effective sentence for sexual activity with a twelve-year-old and imposed probation, community service and treatment, because the first court gave too little weight to the offender's intellectual limits and rehabilitation.