Thursday 5 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. 26843Theft; criminal damage · Co. Dublin · 24 Mar 2022

Man charged with theft and criminal damage appears in Dublin court

A Ukrainian couple, Anass and Olena, both 28, had their car ransacked and belongings including clothes, a guitar and a laptop worth about €3,000 stolen from the underground car park at the Travel Lodge Hotel, Shangan Road, Ballymun, on 24 March 2022. A man, described in reports as a local man in his 40s and identified in the case facts as Christopher Johnson, was charged with theft and criminal damage. He appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court, where jurisdiction was accepted and he was ordered to appear again on 14 June to enter a plea. The couple, who fled Kyiv after the Russian invasion began on 24 February, had travelled across seven countries to reach Dublin just two weeks before the incident.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged20 Apr
  4. In court19 Apr
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A car belonging to a Ukrainian couple was ransacked and belongings including clothes, a guitar and a laptop worth about €3,000 were stolen, along with criminal damage to the car.
  • The victims, Anass and Olena, both 28, are Ukrainian and had fled Kyiv after the Russian invasion began on 24 February 2022, travelling across seven countries to reach Dublin.
Where
The car was parked in the underground car park at the Travel Lodge Hotel, Shangan Road, Ballymun, Dublin.
When
The incident occurred on Thursday, 24 March 2022.
Charges
A man, described in reports as a local man in his 40s and identified in the case facts as Christopher Johnson, was charged with theft and criminal damage.
In court
  • He appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court, who accepted jurisdiction at district court level.
  • He was ordered to appear again on 14 June to enter a plea.
  • Defence solicitor John Feaheny was granted an order for disclosure of evidence including CCTV footage.
Other details
  • The couple raised more than €15,000 on a GoFundMe page after their items were not covered by insurance.
  • The couple donated €1,000 to the Irish Red Cross and plan to donate most of the GoFundMe money to charities helping Ukrainian people.
  • The couple had been unable to reach Olena's parents by telephone for three weeks but made contact earlier in the month and both are safe.
  • The couple spent a few days in Cork before moving just outside Wexford Town, where a family is hosting them.
33 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe couple fled Kyiv after the Russian invasion began on 24 February (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThey travelled across seven countries to reach Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatJohnson was charged with stealing clothes and other personal possessions from a car belonging to the Ukrainian couple. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatHe is also accused of theft from a second vehicle. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe total value of the property stolen was about €3,000. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatHe is charged with theft of belongings including clothes, a guitar and a laptop, as well as criminal damage to the car. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe car was ransacked outside a Ballymun hotel (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe car was parked in the underground car park at the Travel Lodge Hotel, Shangan Road, Ballymun. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on Thursday, 24 March 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe car was ransacked on Thursday, 24 March 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 24 March 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeA local man in his 40s was charged with theft and criminal damage (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeA local man in his 40s was charged with theft and criminal damage offences. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtThe man appeared before court on Tuesday (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • courtHe appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court, who accepted jurisdiction at district court level. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtHe was ordered to appear again on 14 June to enter a plea. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtDefence solicitor John Feaheny was granted an order for disclosure of evidence including CCTV footage. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe couple raised more than €15,000 on a GoFundMe page (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThey were not covered by insurance for the stolen items (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThey donated €1,000 to the Irish Red Cross (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThey plan to donate most of the GoFundMe money to charities helping Ukrainian people (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe couple had been unable to reach Olena's parents by telephone for three weeks (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThey made contact with Olena's parents earlier in the month and both are safe (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe couple spent a few days in Cork before moving just outside Wexford Town (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA family is hosting the couple (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherOlena and Anass are both 28 years old. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThey drove across seven countries to reach Dublin. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThey spent a few days in Cork before moving just outside Wexford Town. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe couple raised more than €15,000 on a GoFundMe page after their items were not covered by insurance. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe couple donated €1,000 to the Irish Red Cross. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe Ukrainian couple left Kyiv as the Russian invasion began on 24 February 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThey motored across the continent to reach Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherA GoFundMe page raised thousands to help the couple after they lost their possessions two weeks after arriving in Dublin. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 May2022
    In courtthejournal.ie, its first report
    Man appears in court accused of ransacking Ukrainian refugees’ belongings

    First court appearance; Johnson admitted the offence to gardaí, cited medication, and was given until 14 June to enter a plea. Defence granted disclosure order including CCTV.

    suspect, Christopher Johnson, 45, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Christopher Johnsonvictim, Anass, 28, Ukrainian, non-irishAnassvictim, Olena, 28, Ukrainian, non-irishOlena
  2. 20 Apr2022
    Chargeddublinlive.ie, its first report
    Man charged after Ukrainian couple's belongings stolen in Dublin

    Reports that the suspect has been charged and appeared in court, and provides background on the couple's journey from Kyiv and their settlement in Ireland.

    victim, Olena, 28, female, Ukrainian, non-irishOlenavictim, Anass, 28, male, Ukrainian, non-irishAnassaccused, male
  3. 19 Apr2022
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man charged after Ukrainian couple's car ransacked & belongings stolen in Dublin

    Reports that a local man in his 40s appeared in court charged with theft and criminal damage; includes the couple's update on their resettlement in Ireland and their GoFundMe fundraising.

    victim, Anass, 28, male, Ukrainian, non-irishAnassvictim, Olena, 28, female, Ukrainian, non-irishOlenaaccused, 40s, male