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'New IRA' leader should never have been convicted of dissident murder, lawyers argue

2025-03-20 · Charlestown, Mayo · Court of Appeal

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Person profiles: Sharif Kelly Kevin Braney Dean Evans

A man identified by gardaí as leader of the so-called New IRA is appealing his murder conviction at the Court of Appeal, with his legal team arguing the conviction was unsafe. Kevin Braney (49) was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in February 2019 of the premeditated murder of Peter Butterly in March 2013 at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, County Meath. Braney's barrister submitted that the trial relied excessively on evidence from David Cullen, a self-confessed accomplice and admitted perjurer who received a reduced sentence in exchange for turning State's witness. The State's counsel contended that circumstantial evidence, including Braney's observed movements with other gang members before and after the killing, provided a compelling case independent of Cullen's testimony. The three-judge court reserved judgment following submissions on both sides. Three other men have received life sentences for the murder.

Source: Courts News Ireland This page is a localnews.ie summary and index entry; the full original report may require a publisher subscription.

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