Three go on trial accused of murdering dissident republican

Three men were arraigned at the Special Criminal Court in October 2018 on murder charges relating to the fatal shooting of dissident republican Peter Butterly outside a public house in Gormanston, County Meath, on 6 March 2013. Michael McDermott, aged 58, of Ballinagh, County Cavan; Kevin Braney, aged 43, from Dublin; and Frank Murphy, aged 58, of Bettystown, County Meath, all entered pleas of not guilty to murder. McDermott and Braney also denied possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition in March 2013, whilst Murphy denied possession of the same firearm on the date of the killing itself. The prosecution outlined that the victim, aged 35, was shot multiple times in a parked vehicle in the presence of witnesses, including schoolchildren awaiting transport. A stolen vehicle was used in the attack and subsequently recovered. The case was expected to last approximately ten weeks, with the prosecution indicating that accomplice evidence would prove central to its case. A protected State's witness, a former accused who had been charged with murder but subsequently turned informant, was scheduled to testify regarding the planning and execution of the killing. During the trial proceedings, developments occurred. In November 2018, McDermott pleaded guilty to assisting an unlawful organisation in furthering the murder between 3 and 6 March 2013. The original murder and firearms charges against him were withdrawn. Additionally, Frank Murphy entered a guilty plea to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of a former murder accused who became a State witness, knowing or believing him guilty of unlawful firearms possession on the date of the killing. The charges against Murphy in relation to murder and firearm possession were not proceeded with. The legal proceedings reflected the complex nature of dissident republican activity and the use of informant testimony in organised crime investigations before Ireland's non-jury court.