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. 0182Sexual assault · Co. Dublin · 18 Jul 2022

Homeless man jailed for sexually assaulting woman in Dublin city centre

Brian Reilly, a 49-year-old homeless man, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 8 October 2026 to sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin city centre on 18 July 2022, after he stumbled towards her and exposed his penis at a bus stop; he said he had no recollection of the incident until shown CCTV and claimed he had taken a tray of sedatives and alcohol that night. Judge Martin Nolan jailed him for two years and three months, noting his 74 previous convictions were mainly for theft and public order offences. On the same day, Levers Zinca, a 31-year-old man of no fixed abode, was sentenced to five years with the final six months suspended for two years for seven ATM distraction thefts totalling €1,940 committed between July and December 2025, targeting elderly and vulnerable victims including an elderly nun. Zinca, who had previous convictions in Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Germany, was identified from CCTV and arrested in January 2026; his family brought €2,000 to court to reimburse the victims.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced8 Oct
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • On 18 July 2022, Brian Reilly exposed his penis to a woman at a bus stop in Dublin city centre after she produced a penknife and threatened to hurt him.
  • Levers Zinca committed seven ATM distraction thefts totalling €1,940 between July and December 2025, using leaflets to cover the cash dispensing area while targeting elderly and vulnerable victims including an elderly nun, a man with poor sight and a wheelchair user.
Where
The sexual assault took place in Dublin city centre; the first ATM theft occurred at the AIB branch in Dundrum Town Centre.
When
The sexual assault occurred on 18 July 2022, the ATM thefts between July and December 2025, and both defendants were sentenced on 8 October 2026.
Investigation
Reilly was shown CCTV footage after his arrest and said he had no recollection of the incident, while Zinca was identified from CCTV and arrested in January 2026 after a long search while he was sleeping rough.
Charges
Reilly pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and Zinca pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft at ATMs.
In court
Judge Martin Nolan heard Reilly's case and Judge Cephas Power heard Zinca's case, both at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Sentence
Reilly was jailed for two years and three months, and Zinca was sentenced to five years with the final six months suspended for two years, backdated to January 2026.
Other details
  • Reilly had 74 previous convictions for theft, burglary and public order offences, and Zinca had similar previous convictions in Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Germany.
  • Zinca claimed the thefts were to send money to his sick grandmother in Romania, and his family brought €2,000 to court to reimburse the victims.
31 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe claimed he had taken a tray of sedatives that night along with alcohol. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was shown CCTV footage following his arrest and said he had no recollection of the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatShe produced a penknife and threatened to hurt him but Reilly stumbled towards her and exposed his penis. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe woman found two men at a bus stop and asked for their help, and Reilly walked away. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatShe provided the gardaí with a photograph she had taken of Reilly on her phone. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe had significant difficulties with alcohol and other substances at that time. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatZinca stole almost €2,000 in a series of ATM distraction thefts targeting elderly and vulnerable victims. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe used leaflets to cover the cash dispensing area while distracting victims using the ATMs. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatVictims included an elderly nun, a man with poor sight and a wheelchair user. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBoth women discovered €200 missing from their accounts and reported it to gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were seven victims in total over six months. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereZinca was of no fixed abode but formerly had addresses in Dublin 8 and Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe first victim was an 80-year-old woman using an ATM at the AIB branch in Dundrum Town Centre. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeZinca claimed he was carrying out the thefts to send money to his sick grandmother in Romania. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeZinca was desperate at the time with a sick grandmother and financing a drug addiction. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationIt took a long time to arrest him as he was living a chaotic life and had been sleeping rough. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGarda Oisin Burke told the court Zinca was loitering around ATMs to target vulnerable victims. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationZinca was identified from CCTV. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationZinca was arrested in January 2026. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBrian Reilly pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin City on July 18, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft at ATMs totalling €1,940 on dates between July and December 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Cephas Power said the thefts were planned and part of an organised strategy by the accused. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceHe was jailed for two years and three months. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHe was jailed for four and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a five-year sentence with the final six months suspended for two years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to January 2026 when Zinca went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe had 74 previous convictions for theft, burglary and public order offences. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe was of no fixed abode. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherZinca has similar previous convictions in Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Germany. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherZinca made a full apology and his family brought €2,000 to court to reimburse the victims. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherZinca had been working in a recycling company but lost his job. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 8 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man stole nearly €2,000 in ATM distraction thefts where victims included an elderly nun

    Sentencing report: Zinca pleaded guilty to seven counts of ATM theft, was sentenced to five years with six months suspended, backdated to January 2026. Details of his modus operandi, victims, prior convictions in four countries, and mitigating/aggravating factors provided.

    suspect, Levers Zinca, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Levers Zincavictim, 80, femalevictim, 80, femalevictim, malevictim
  2. 8 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Homeless man didn't know he had sexually assaulted woman 'until he saw CCTV'

    Sentencing hearing details including the judge's reasoning, the sequence of the assault, defence submissions on intoxication and remorse, and the headline sentence reduced by the guilty plea.

    victim, femaleconvicted, Brian Reilly, 49, male, named, irish (judged from name)Brian Reilly