He later obtained a higher diploma in education in 1987 and master of law in criminology and criminal justice in 2012 from UCD.
[7][8][9] The firm was frequently retained by the Child and Family Agency to act for people appointed to the role of guardian at litem.
[11][12] The case attracted media attention in several countries and was featured on Con Girl, a documentary on Paramount+.
[18][19] O'Brien was nominated to the Circuit Court to fill a vacancy created by Margaret Heneghan.
[23][24][25][26][27][28][29] In 2018, O'Brien reviewed an essay written by a man appealing a conviction of drugs possession.
[32][33] In 2019, the Garda Síochána received formal complaints from six men about O'Brien relating to events from 1991 to 1997.
[34] He initially denied to Gardaí having had sexual contact any with the complainants, but later claimed he had consensual relations with three of them.
[35] The four-week trial presided over by Alexander Owens in the Central Criminal Court concluded on 22 December 2023.
[34][36] Following the trial, the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that she was consulting with the Attorney General Rossa Fanning on "the options open to the Government and the Oireachtas".