Wednesday 28 October 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. 3043Arson, violent disorder, criminal damage · Co. Dublin · 23 Nov 2023

Court of Appeal upholds 6½-year sentence for Dublin rioter who set Garda car alight

Declan Donaghey, 30, had his 6½-year jail term upheld by the Court of Appeal for arson, violent disorder and criminal damage during the Dublin riots in November 2023, in which he set a Garda car alight and damaged a building housing international protection applicants.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced20 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDonaghey pleaded guilty to arson, violent disorder and criminal damage. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCCTV showed Donaghey putting a burning box into the back of a Garda car and wiping the door handle. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe Garda car, valued at €20,000, was destroyed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDonaghey damaged a second Garda car by jumping on the bonnet and kicking the windows and wing mirror. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA wheelie bin was thrown at one of the Garda cars. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDonaghey threw a bicycle saddle at a building housing international protection applicants. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereDonaghey lives at Williams Place Upper, Dorset Street, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal upheld the 6½-year jail term. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Orla Crowe sentenced Donaghey to 7½ years with the final year suspended on the arson charge in November 2024. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceConcurrent sentences of 4½ and 3 years were imposed for violent disorder and criminal damage. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe headline sentence for the arson offence was 10 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe riot was described as one of the gravest examples of public disorder in the history of the State. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherDonaghey returned to the scene with his face covered and actively took part in a number of violent acts. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA bus and a tram were later burned during the riots. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA knife-wielding man had attacked children and a care assistant at a school on Cavendish Row earlier that day. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 May2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Conviction for Dublin rioter who set Garda car alight upheld by Court of Appeal

    Court of Appeal, with Judge Nuala Butler presiding, dismissed Donaghey's appeal against the severity of his sentence, upholding the 6½-year term imposed by Judge Orla Crowe in November 2024.

    convicted, Declan Donaghey, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Declan Donaghey