The defendant is currently serving a sentence

“I’m very sorry – I just want to go home,” said the defendant

"My client has had a very colourful past"

“He has a habit of turning up late"

He held his hands up in fairness

Relations have been somewhat fraught

"There was no reason, just mindless

The man was facing a total of 13 charges which were due for hearing, but as he was now changing his plea to guilty on six sample charges, seven others were withdrawn by the state

“It was borderline indictable"

“He was travelling at speeds up to 180kph on back roads, went straight through a crossroads – it was a 50kph zone through one village"

The accused was described as a "decent guy"

“Everybody knows Paddy! He’s right there!” 

"In the district court you get to see and hear every circumstance,” said the judge.

The man argued that his pet was only a pup!

“It’s an honour to have you back"

The woman was determined to be placed into custody

“There’s a lot of abuse, physical and verbal, in the house"

A WOMAN claimed Tusla were raping her children in care and “making them cannibal fodder” had the application for their return adjourned for three weeks ostensibly to seek legal counsel on the advice of the judge.

“They tell lies about me"

“These are very serious charges"

“Was in the throes of addiction at the time”

A MOTHER was told she can apply for a passport for her daughter without the signature of her estranged partner but will have to come back to court to reapply when her passport expires in five years’ time.

“They still live in the same house? That’s very sad."

The defendant contested the charge

"There was a lot of bravado."

Alleged to have occurred during an online counselling session

The man contests the charges

The girl is charged with the assault of her care worker

“This was an altercation with another female"

“hit me, dragged me down the street, whipped me in the face with a towel and tried to kill me”

“If you were in my shoes, you would have a raised eyebrow"

"He’s already acted the maggot"

There were added tensions because of the parking of van

“Catastrophic, life-changing injuries"

“Dropping out of school at 16, he might think he’s streetwise, but he’s not"

“Can I not get him barred from the house so I can get back in with me kids?”

“The marriage is in a really, really bad way"

The defendant is charged with possession and possession with intent to supply the heroin, and also under of the Money Laundering and Terrorism Act.

“Drunk and misbehaving?” guessed the judge

“He was in a mess, spiralled for a while, and got into things he shouldn’t have, but he’s in steady employment now"

The woman's back story that offered a darker underlay to the proceedings

Faced theft and assault charges

"He hasn’t played any part in raising you, we’re not perfect, but everybody deserves a second chance"