Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Wilkin at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of ten to two against each accused. Wilkin's body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal on June 25, 2023, eight days after his death. The trial heard that Wilkin suffered at least two depressed fractures to the head before being thrown from the cliff. DNA evidence linked blood and hair found on a rock at the cliff top to the victim. Both accused blamed the other for the assault, but the prosecution argued they acted in joint enterprise to cause serious harm. Vial, aged 39 from Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23 from Carrick, had pleaded not guilty. Both will receive the mandatory life sentence at a sentencing hearing, where the victim's family will make statements to the court.
Source links
Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Alan Vial and Nikita Burns found guilty of murdering man (66) whose body was thrown over Sliabh Liag - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- Two people found guilty of murdering man (66) whose body was thrown over Sliabh Liag cliffs - The Journal The Journal · Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- Man (39) and woman (23) found guilty of murder of man whose body was thrown off Sliabh Liag - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- Donegal cliffs murder case: Each of the accused claimed the other ‘did it’, court told - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- Breaking: Donegal pair ‘guilty’ of murdering man on Sliabh Liag - Donegal Daily Donegal Daily · Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:53:08 GMT
- Date set for Sliabh Liag killers Alan Vial and Nikita Burns conviction appeals - Donegal Live Donegal Live · Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT
- Court told couple attacked man, threw him off Sliabh Liag - RTE.ie RTE.ie · Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT
- Brother of Sliabh Liag murder accused was concerned sister was off her medication - Donegal Live Donegal Live · Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT
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