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. 3464Assault causing harm, false imprisonment, assisting a criminal organisation to inflict serious harm · Co. Dublin · 12 Feb 2025

Five men jailed for branding assault on Barry Moore in Dublin

Five members of a Dublin criminal gang were sentenced to prison terms of three to 8½ years for an assault in which Barry Moore, 35, was waterboarded, beaten with an iron bar, and branded with the word 'RAT' on his face and torso using a heated cattle marker in a shed outside Jason Hennessy's home in Blanchardstown.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced25 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
32 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe victim was waterboarded, beaten with an iron bar, threatened with being raped using a stick, and branded with 'RAT' on his face and torso. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe branding marks on the victim's face were designed to maximise the visibility of his humiliation. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMr Moore went to the home to buy a tracksuit and arrived at about 6.15pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMr Moore suffered a fractured elbow from a blow of an iron bar and multiple small stab wounds to his legs. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMr Moore was held against his will and beaten for over one hour. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim, Barry Moore, 35, had been summoned to court by a warrant (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJason Hennessy branded Moore on his stomach first, then on his forehead while Brandon and Dean held his arms, holding the marker for seven or eight seconds (irishtimes.com)
  • whatFour of the accused entered guilty pleas only after the trial had begun (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe assault took place at Jason Hennessy's home in Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereJason Hennessy and Brandon Hennessy are of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 (irishtimes.com)
  • whereKenneth Fitzsimons and Dean Fitzsimons are of Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, Dublin (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí found the cattle branding iron used on Mr Moore in an area of waste ground. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationDet Gda Stuart Gleeson interviewed Barry Moore on 13 February 2025, the day after the assault (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe defendants were originally charged with causing serious harm and false imprisonment, both carrying potential life sentences. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeAfter Mr Moore refused to give evidence, the State accepted pleas of guilty to assault causing harm, a maximum ten-year offence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeDevon Hennessy pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Moore and to assisting a criminal organisation to inflict serious harm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe five were originally charged with causing serious harm and false imprisonment, both carrying potential life sentences (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe State accepted pleas of guilty to assault causing harm, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeDevon Hennessy, 30, of Edgewood Lawns, Corduff, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Barry Moore and assisting a criminal organisation to inflict serious harm (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMs Justice Karen O'Connor, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Fiona Lydon, said the facts of the case were 'shocking'. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceFive members of a Dublin criminal gang will serve prison terms between three and 8.5 years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceDevon Hennessy received the shortest sentence of three years as he was the only one who tried to intervene on Mr Moore's behalf and the only one who entered an early guilty plea. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJason Hennessy and Dean Fitzsimons each received 8.5 years, reduced from the maximum ten years due to late guilty pleas and mitigating factors. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceBrandon Hennessy received a six-year sentence to run consecutive to an existing term expiring in February 2028. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceKenneth Fitzsimons was jailed for eight years; the judge noted he did not use the branding iron or hold the victim down. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceAll sentences except Brandon Hennessy's were backdated to February 17, 2025, when they went into custody. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJason Hennessy and Dean Fitzsimons received headline sentences at the maximum 10 years, reduced to 8½ years for late guilty pleas and mitigating factors (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceBrandon Hennessy received a six-year sentence consecutive to a term expiring in February 2028 (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceAll sentences except Brandon Hennessy's are backdated to 17 February 2025 when they went into custody (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAt the time of the assault, there was a feud between the Hennessys and another organised crime gang based in Finglas. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherJason Hennessy Snr, father of Devon, Brandon and Jason, was shot dead in Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve, 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe gunman, Tristan Sherry, was beaten to death at the scene of the shooting. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Mar2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Five men jailed for assault in which ‘RAT’ was branded on victim’s face with cattle marker

    Sentencing report: Judge Karen O'Connor (sitting with Judges Sarah Berkeley and Fiona Lydon) imposed sentences of three to 8½ years on five convicted men. Four entered guilty pleas to assault causing harm only after the trial had begun; Devon Hennessy pleaded guilty earlier to false imprisonment and assisting a criminal organisation to inflict serious harm and received the shortest sentence.

    victim, Barry Moore, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Barry Mooreconvicted, Jason Hennessy, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Hennessyconvicted, Brandon Hennessy, 23, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brandon Hennessyconvicted, Kenneth Fitzsimons, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kenneth Fitzsimonsconvicted, Dean Fitzsimons, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Fitzsimonsconvicted, Devon Hennessy, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Devon Hennessy
  2. 25 Mar2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Dublin crime gang members jailed over 'RAT' branding on man's face and body

    Reports the sentencing of five convicted gang members at the Criminal Courts of Justice, with Ms Justice Karen O'Connor describing the facts as 'shocking'. Sentences range from three to 8.5 years, backdated to February 17, 2025.

    victim, Barry Moore, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Barry Mooreconvicted, Jason Hennessy Jr, 29, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Hennessy Jrconvicted, Brandon Hennessy, 23, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brandon Hennessyconvicted, Dean Fitzsimons, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Fitzsimonsconvicted, Kenneth Fitzsimons, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kenneth Fitzsimonsconvicted, Devon Hennessy, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Devon Hennessy