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. 22444Criminal damage (attack on a dwelling) · Co. Longford · 7 May 2018

Denis McGinley sentenced for 2018 house attack on pregnant woman in Longford

Denis McGinley, 39, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment (suspended for ten years) at Longford Circuit Criminal Court for his role in a May 2018 attack on the home of a heavily pregnant woman in Longford, in which he and three co-accused smashed up the dwelling with weapons. The other three accused had already received suspended four-year terms in March 2021.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced7 Feb
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
38 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA four-man gang attacked the home of a Longford woman who was 33 weeks pregnant and expecting her fifth child. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe quartet pulled up in a white 4x4 jeep before smashing up the dwelling. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatDenis McGinley was identified as the front-seat passenger exiting the jeep with a metal bar concealed under a coat. (longfordleader.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThree of the four co-accused smashed the front window of the house and door. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatThe attack caused almost €2,000 worth of damage. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe pregnant woman directed her four other children through the house and into a back garden, slipping and falling on broken glass as the gang fled. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatFour men attacked the home: Hugh Patrick (48), Christy McGinley (23), Patrick McGinley (22) and Denis McGinley (39). (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe four men arrived at the house in a white 4x4 jeep. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim was 33 weeks pregnant and expecting her fifth child at the time of the attack. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe attack caused almost €2,000 worth of damage to the house. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim slipped and fell on broken glass while directing her four other children into a back garden as the gang fled. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe four attackers pulled up in a white 4x4 jeep before smashing up the dwelling. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThree of the four co-accused smashed the front window and door of the house. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe pregnant woman slipped and fell on broken glass while directing her four other children through the house. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place at a two-storey family home on the outskirts of Longford. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe attack was on a two storey family home on the outskirts of Longford. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred on 7 May 2018. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe attack on the two-storey family home took place on 7 May 2018. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe attack took place on 7 May 2018. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • causeThe attack arose from a row at the residence of a McGinley family member in the weeks beforehand. (longfordleader.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • weaponThe four men arrived armed with weapons. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard before Judge Keenan Johnson at Longford Circuit Criminal Court. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Longford Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Keenan Johnson. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThree of the four accused were given suspended four-year prison terms in March 2021. (longfordleader.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Keenan Johnson handed Denis McGinley a four-year prison sentence, suspended for ten years. (longfordleader.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceDenis McGinley was handed a four-year prison sentence suspended for ten years. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley was convicted after flying back into Ireland following completion of a four-year jail sentence for defrauding elderly victims of over €250,000. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley said he had severed ties with certain members of his family and apologised to the victim's family. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherAn unnamed Longford woman who provided CCTV footage said she and her family have become prisoners in their own homes and she was forced to pull her children out of school due to bullying and harassment. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley was convicted after flying back to Ireland following completion of a four-year jail sentence for defrauding elderly victims of over €250,000. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley addressed the court, said he had severed ties with certain family members, and apologised to the victim's family. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherA Midlands woman who provided CCTV footage said she and her family have become prisoners in their own homes due to the same gang. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherThe Midlands woman was forced to pull her children out of school due to bullying and harassment. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley is a father of five. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherNiall Flynn BL was defending Denis McGinley. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherDenis McGinley flew back into Ireland after completing a four-year jail sentence for defrauding elderly victims out of over €250,000. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe accused said he had severed ties with certain members of his family. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherA witness from the same gang was forced to pull her children out of school due to bullying and harassment. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 10 Feb2023
    Sentencedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Woman tells of threats from gang at centre of house attack in the Midlands

    Reports Denis McGinley's sentencing, details of the CCTV evidence, the circumstances of the 2018 attack, the prior convictions of the other three co-accused, and testimony from a witness targeted by the same gang.

    victim, femaleconvicted, Denis McGinley, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Denis McGinleyconvicted, Hugh Patrick, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Patrickconvicted, Christy McGinley, 23, male, named, irish (judged from name)Christy McGinleyconvicted, Patrick McGinley, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McGinley
  2. 10 Feb2023
    Sentencedleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    Midlands woman tells of threats from gang at centre of house attack

    Reports Denis McGinley's conviction and sentencing for the 2018 house attack, details of the incident from CCTV and Garda evidence, and testimony from a Midlands woman who was also targeted by the same gang.

    victim, femalevictim, femaleconvicted, Hugh Patrick, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Patrickconvicted, Christy McGinley, 23, male, named, irish (judged from name)Christy McGinleyconvicted, Patrick McGinley, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McGinleyconvicted, Denis McGinley, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Denis McGinley
  3. 7 Feb2023
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, follow-up
    Woman tells of threats from gang at centre of Longford house attack

    Provides full sentencing details for Denis McGinley, identifies him as the front-seat passenger with a metal bar, confirms the other three were sentenced in March 2021, reveals the attack arose from a row and a declined 'call out', and includes testimony from an unnamed Longford woman whose family has been targeted by the same gang.

    victim, femaleconvicted, Hugh Patrick, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Hugh Patrickconvicted, Christy McGinley, 23, male, named, irish (judged from name)Christy McGinleyconvicted, Patrick McGinley, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McGinleyconvicted, Denis McGinley, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Denis McGinley