Case No. 1386Fatal workplace accident (personal injury – death)
Refuse worker's family approved €35,000 statutory payment after death from bin lorry fall
A refuse worker in his 50s died after falling from the back of a moving bin truck that had gone over a speed bump, hitting his head on the road. In 2020, his daughter, then a minor, brought High Court proceedings through her mother against the waste company and the driver, alleging negligence and breach of statutory duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. The case was settled, and on 4 July 2025 the High Court approved a €35,000 statutory payment for loss and mental distress, with the mother waiving her share in favour of her daughter and four others also entitled to a part. On the same day, eight men were sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to a combined 129 years for their roles in a €157 million cocaine seizure on the MV Matthew, and Hungarian man Istvan Konyari was jailed for three and a half years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for ramming two Garda cars in a stolen truck.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court4 Jul
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced4 Jul
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A refuse worker in his 50s died after falling from the back of a moving bin truck that had gone over a speed bump, hitting his head on the road.
- It was alleged the waste company and driver were negligent and in breach of statutory duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, including driving at inappropriate speed, allowing the worker to travel without a helmet, and failing to provide an adequate step.
- A separate seizure involved 2.2 tonnes of cocaine valued at €157 million found on the MV Matthew, a bulk carrier sailing under the flag of Panama and owned by a Dubai-based company called Symphony Marine.
- Hungarian man Istvan Konyari, previously of Shandon Street in Cork and without previous convictions, deliberately rammed two Garda cars while driving a stolen seven-tonne rigid truck on the morning of 8 November 2023.
- Konyari caused €25,000 in damage to parked cars at Dwyer's Electrical in Forge Hill, Cork, and his spree ended when an ASU member fired a single shot through the truck's windscreen.
- When
- The worker's daughter, then a minor, and her mother, both dependents who lived with him, brought High Court proceedings in 2020.
- In court
- The case was settled and on 4 July 2025 Mr Justice Tony O'Connor in the High Court approved a €35,000 statutory payment for loss and mental distress, with the mother waiving her share in favour of her daughter and four others also entitled to a part.
- Charges
- Six men pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew between 24 and 26 September 2023, and two others pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply within the State.
- Konyari admitted carrying out three burglaries, stealing the truck, and previously stealing a van, and in his Garda interview compared his actions to the video game Grand Theft Auto.
- Sentence
- At the Special Criminal Court on 4 July 2025, eight men were jailed for a combined 129 years, with headline sentences ranging from 30 to 22 years before mitigation, the longest being 20 years for Dutch man Cumali Ozgen.
- At Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Konyari was jailed for three and a half years with the final six months suspended and disqualified from driving for four years.
55 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe seizure involved 2.2 tonnes of cocaine (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe cocaine was valued at €157 million (irishtimes.com)
- whatKonyari deliberately rammed two Garda cars while driving a stolen seven-tonne rigid truck. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe caused €25,000 in damage to parked cars. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAn ASU member fired a single shot through the windscreen of the truck to stop him. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn his Garda interview he compared his actions to the video game Grand Theft Auto. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatStolen items included an antique clock, coal, gas cylinders and toilet rolls. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDuring one burglary an apartment owner found him in the kitchen making coffee and eating crackers. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe refuse worker died after falling from the back of a bin truck (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe vehicle had gone over a speed bump (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man was in his 50s (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe fell from the rear and hit his head on the road, causing severe injury (irishtimes.com)
- whatIt was alleged the respondents were negligent and in breach of their statutory duties (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe daughter and mother were dependents of the worker and all three lived together (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe truck was allegedly driving at an inappropriate speed when approaching the speed bump (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe company allegedly allowed the worker to travel by holding on to the rear without a helmet (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere was allegedly a failure to have in place an adequate step (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe claimed breaches came under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe mother was waiving her entitlement to the payment in favour of her daughter (irishtimes.com)
- whatFour others were also entitled to a part of the payment (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe possession on the MV Matthew took place at locations outside the State (irishtimes.com)
- whereHe was previously of Shandon Street in Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe possession on the MV Matthew occurred between 24 and 26 September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident occurred on the morning of 8 November 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe court heard the matter on Friday (irishtimes.com)
- chargeSix men pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew (irishtimes.com)
- chargeLapa and Harbron pleaded guilty to attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply within the State (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to the ramming offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe admitted carrying out three burglaries, stealing the truck, and previously stealing a van. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtSentencing was passed at the Special Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe proceedings were against the waste company and the driver of the refuse truck (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case had been settled and the only matter was the statutory payment (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceEight men were jailed for a combined 129 years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHeadline sentences ranged from 30 years to 22 years before mitigation (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceCumali Ozgen received a 20-year term, the longest sentence (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceEstoesta was sentenced to 18 years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJelveh was sentenced to 17 and a half years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceVlasoi was sentenced to 16 and a half years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHassani was sentenced to 15 years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceGavryk was sentenced to 14 years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceLapa was sentenced to 14 and a half years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHarbron was sentenced to 13 and a half years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was jailed for three and a half years with the final six months suspended. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceHe was disqualified from driving for four years. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOzgen had the closest connection to the Dubai-based criminal organisation (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe MV Matthew was sailing under the flag of Panama (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe MV Matthew was owned by a Dubai-based company called Symphony Marine (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe was without previous convictions until November 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is a Hungarian national. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA large kettlebell fell on his head in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was seriously injured in an assault in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was under the influence of cocaine and cannabis at the time of the offence. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was likely suffering from post concussion syndrome at the time of the offence. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe wrote a letter of apology to Gardaí and persons impacted by his offending. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe plans to return to Hungary after his release as he no longer has family in Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 4 Jul2025Refuse worker died after he fell from back of moving bin lorry and hit his head on road, High Court told
Reports the High Court's approval of the €35,000 statutory payment and details of the incident, including the alleged breaches of safety duties by the waste company and driver.
victim, 50s, malevictim, femalevictim, femalesuspect - 4 Jul2025Man jailed for three years for ramming garda cars in 'Grand Theft Auto' crime
Sentencing report from Cork Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Helen Boyle.
convicted, Istvan Konyari, male, Hungarian, named, non-irishIstvan Konyari - 4 Jul2025Eight men jailed for combined 129 years over Ireland’s biggest ever drug seizure
Sentencing at the Special Criminal Court; Ms Justice Greally described the crew as 'valuable components of the engine that drives international drug smuggling' operating on behalf of a Dubai-based organised crime group with 'apparently unlimited resources'.
convicted, Cumali Ozgen, 50, male, Dutch, named, non-irishCumali Ozgenconvicted, Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishMykhailo Gavrykconvicted, Vitaliy Vlasoi, 33, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Vlasoiconvicted, Soheil Jelveh, 52, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSoheil Jelvehconvicted, Saeid Hassani, 39, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSaeid Hassaniconvicted, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoestaconvicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Vitaliy Lapaconvicted, Jamie Harbron, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jamie Harbron