Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 23664Criminal damage · Co. Donegal

Afghan refugee Siraj Zazai adjourned over criminal damage charges in Letterkenny

Siraj Zazai, a 23-year-old Afghan refugee from Helmand Province, appeared at Letterkenny District Court on two counts of criminal damage – a door and chair at an apartment at The Nooke and a L'Oréal product at Dunne's Stores. Judge Éiteáin Cunningham adjourned the case to 19 December 2022 after hearing that Zazai had been travelling for two years fleeing the Taliban and was in receipt of only €38 per week.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court7 Dec
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe accused is 23 years old and lives at The Nooke, Rosemount Lane, Letterkenny (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused hails from Helmand Province, widely regarded as the most dangerous in Afghanistan (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused is an Afghan refugee who fled the Taliban (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused said the apartment was too dirty and too noisy when Gardaí arrived (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused has been travelling for the past two years seeking safety and sanctuary (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused is in receipt of only €38 per week (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused lives with a number of other men and the damage arose from a situation where they were drinking (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused does not have a work permit and was provided with a gift card that could not be exchanged (donegallive.ie)
  • whatThe accused was seeking to buy halal meat, which is not sold at Dunne's Stores (donegallive.ie)
  • whenThe accused arrived in Letterkenny six months before the court appearance (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with damaging a door and a chair at an apartment at The Nooke (donegallive.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with damaging a L'Oréal product valued at €30 at Dunne's Stores (donegallive.ie)
  • courtJudge Éiteáin Cunningham adjourned the case until 19 December 2022 (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Dec2022
    In courtdonegallive.ie, first report
    Afghan refugee who fled Taliban in court on criminal damage charges

    First court appearance; defence presented Zazai's background as an Afghan refugee with PTSD, his limited means of €38 per week, and context for both incidents. Case adjourned to 19 December 2022.

    suspect, Siraj Zazai, 23, male, Afghan, named, non-irishSiraj Zazai