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. 0885Assault, assault causing harm, criminal damage · Co. Dublin · 10 Jul 2022

Personal trainer jailed for assault of ex-girlfriend in Dublin

John Peters, 33, a personal trainer, was jailed for two years and two months in June 2026 for assaulting his former girlfriend Rianna Moore over incidents in 2022 and 2023. The first assault occurred on 10 July 2022 in the couple's shared apartment in Dublin, where Peters dragged Moore to the floor, causing a nosebleed, a large bruise on her arm, a graze on her finger and damage to her eyebrow. Further incidents in May and June 2023 included Peters ripping a pyjama top off Moore and causing criminal damage to her phone. Peters was arrested, initially denied the allegations to gardaí, and later pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Martina Baxter imposed concurrent sentences and ordered €10,000 to be paid to Women's Aid.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted13 Mar
  6. Sentenced1 Jun
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • John Peters, 33, is a personal trainer and businessman who runs a women-only gym in Dún Laoghaire.
  • Peters and Moore were in a relationship for three years and began cohabiting in late 2021.
  • On 10 July 2022, following an argument, Peters dragged Moore downwards in their apartment and her face struck the carpet, causing a nosebleed, a large bruise on her arm, a graze on her finger and damage to her eyebrow.
  • In further incidents in May and June 2023, Peters ripped a pyjama top off Moore and caused criminal damage to her phone.
  • Peters sent a voice note telling Moore to say the injuries were caused by their dog and to wear clothing to cover her arms.
Where
The incidents took place in the couple's shared apartment in Dublin.
When
The first assault occurred on 10 July 2022; further incidents occurred on 2 May 2023 and 6 June 2023.
Cause
The first assault followed an argument.
Investigation
Peters was arrested the day after the relationship ended, initially denied all allegations to gardaí, and handed in a prepared statement before pleading guilty.
Charges
Peters pleaded guilty to assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage to a phone.
In court
Peters pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; Judge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing to June 2026 and remanded Peters in custody.
Sentence
Peters was sentenced to three years for assault causing harm, two and a half years for criminal damage and six months for assault, all concurrent, with the final 10 months suspended for 15 months of probation supervision.
Other details
Peters has no previous convictions and the judge ordered €10,000 to be paid to Women's Aid.
50 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatJohn Peters is a personal trainer and businessman with a women-only gym in Dún Laoghaire (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman was dragged downwards and her face hit the carpet, leaving blood from her nose (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe assault left the woman with a large bruise on her arm, a graze on her finger and damage to her eyebrow (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPeters sent a voice note telling the woman to say the injuries were caused by their dog (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPeters would delete numbers and messages from the woman's phone (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman said the guilty plea did not feel like remorse and had come too late (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman suffers panic attacks and flashbacks from the offences (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPeters and the woman were in a relationship for three years and began cohabiting in late 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDefence counsel described the behaviour as despicable with a suggestion of controlling behaviour (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJohn Peters was jailed for two years and two months for assaulting his former girlfriend Rianna Moore. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatMoore was dragged downwards by Peters and her face struck the carpet, leaving blood coming from her nose. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe assault left Moore with a large bruise on her arm, a graze to her finger and damage to her eyebrow. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPeters sent a voice note telling Moore to say the injuries were caused by their dog and not to say she fell. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPeters also told Moore to wear clothing to cover her arms. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn a further incident, a pyjama top was ripped off Moore by Peters, leaving marks under her arms. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe couple were in a relationship for three years and began cohabiting in late 2021. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe last year to 18 months of the relationship were described as quite turbulent. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe judge noted that Peters' physicality and training was utilised against Moore. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe first assault took place in the apartment the couple shared. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenA further incident occurred on 2 May 2023 in which a pyjamas top was ripped off the woman (irishtimes.com)
  • whenPeters assaulted Ms Moore less than a year after they moved in together. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe first assault occurred on 10 July 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenA further incident involving her pyjama top and phone took place on 2 May 2023 and 6 June 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe first assault occurred on 10 July 2022 in the apartment following an argument. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe first assault followed an argument. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationPeters was arrested and invited for interview (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationPeters initially denied all allegations to gardaí and handed in a prepared statement before pleading guilty. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationPeters was arrested the day after the relationship ended. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargePeters pleaded guilty to assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage to the woman's phone. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe charges were assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage to a phone. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtPeters pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing to June and remanded Peters in custody (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said there was no evidence of contrition or of steps to address Peters's temper and aggression. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe trial process took three years from complaint to sentencing. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtPeters was remanded in custody at the sentencing hearing. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtPeters pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge noted the guilty plea spared the injured party from giving evidence and being re-traumatised. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGarda Aisling Hawkes gave evidence and Jane McGowan was prosecuting. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentencePeters was sentenced to two years and two months for assault, assault causing harm and criminal damage over several incidents. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentencePeters was jailed for two years and two months. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentencePeters was sentenced to three years for assault causing harm, two and a half years for criminal damage and six months for assault, all concurrent. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 10 months were suspended for 15 months, with 10 months of probation supervision after release. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge ordered the €10,000 paid to Women's Aid. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge sentenced Peters to three years for assault causing harm, two and a half years for criminal damage and six months for assault, all to run concurrently. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe final 10 months of the sentence were suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherPeters has no previous convictions (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe court heard there was also suggestion of controlling behaviour. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe judge described the existence of an intimate relationship and the aggression as aggravating factors. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe judge identified the existence of an intimate relationship and the significant effect of the aggression on the injured party as aggravating factors. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMoore said the day marked the end of a long legal process that had a profound impact on her life. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Jun2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Personal trainer and owner of women-only gym jailed for assault of ex-girlfriend

    Sentencing report: Judge Martina Baxter imposed concurrent sentences of three years for assault causing harm, two and a half years for criminal damage and six months for assault, suspending the final 10 months. The court heard details of the first assault on 10 July 2022 in which Moore was dragged to the floor, and Peters' subsequent attempts to manage the appearance of her injuries.

    victim, Rianna Moore, female, irish (judged from name)Rianna Mooreconvicted, John Peters, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Peters
  2. 1 Jun2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Personal trainer at female-only gym jailed for assaulting ex-girlfriend

    Court report on the sentencing of John Peters at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. No existing case matches this named defendant or sentencing.

    victim, femaleconvicted, John Peters, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Peters
  3. 1 Jun2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    'I never heard the word sorry': Ex of personal trainer jailed for assaulting her speaks out

    Reports the sentence and Ms Moore's account of the abuse, the trial process and her sense of accountability. The incidents took place between 2022 and 2023.

    convicted, John Peters, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Petersvictim, Rianna Moore, female, irish (judged from name)Rianna Moore
  4. 13 Mar2026
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Personal trainer at women-only gym pleads guilty to assaults on former girlfriend

    Guilty plea at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; remanded in custody pending sentencing adjourned to June for probation report.

    convicted, John Peters, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Petersvictim, female