Case No. 2119Breach of sales pricing legislation (misleading sale discounts) · Co. Dublin
Three retailers plead guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation in Dublin District Court
Lifestyle Sports Ireland, DID Electrical Appliances and Rath-Wood Home and Garden World pleaded guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation at Dublin District Court on 10 March 2025 and were each ordered to pay €1,000 to charity. These are the first prosecutions under new sales pricing legislation introduced in 2022, following online sweeps of the 2023-2024 winter sales season.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted10 Mar
2 reports - Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports20 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThree retailers pleaded guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation in Dublin District Court on Monday 10 March 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe offences took place in a car and in a house in Dundrum, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offences took place on 31 August 2019. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationProsecutions were brought by the CCPC following online sweeps conducted over the 2023-2024 winter sales season, including Black Friday. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA number of other traders have been investigated and further prosecutions may follow. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeAnthony Hickey was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHickey was convicted of orally raping and sexually assaulting the woman in a car. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeMatin Zolfaghari was convicted of the oral rape of the woman in the house. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury found Zolfaghari not guilty of sexually assaulting the woman in the car. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Paul Burns adjourned the case to 27 March for sentencing. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceEach retailer was ordered to pay €1,000 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceEach retailer was ordered to pay the costs of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceSection 1(1) of the Probation Act is to be applied in each case upon compliance with the Court order. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHickey has 10 previous convictions including one for assault causing harm for which he received an 18-month prison sentence in 2013. (irishtimes.com)
- otherVicente has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence. (irishtimes.com)
- otherZolfaghari has no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim has a daughter. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThese are the first prosecutions under new sales pricing legislation introduced in 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe new law requires traders to base any discount on the lowest price in at least the previous 30 days and to display this price clearly on any price tag or advertisement. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCCPC Chair Brian McHugh stated that misleading sale discounts harm consumers and competition. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 10 Mar2025Three retailers plead guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation
First report of the guilty pleas and sentencing of three retailers for misleading sale pricing, the first prosecutions under the 2022 sales pricing legislation.
- 10 Mar2025Woman raped by three ‘complete strangers’ says they robbed her of her love for life
Sentencing hearing where the victim read her impact statement; DPP recommends highest category of 15 years to life; case adjourned to 27 March 2025 for sentence; the three men do not accept the jury's verdict.
victim, 20s, femaleconvicted, Anthony Hickey, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Hickeyconvicted, Fabio Vicente, 42, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Fabio Vicenteconvicted, Matin Zolfaghari, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matin Zolfaghari