Courts / Ireland / Report

Public excluded from court as gardai give evidence anonymously in murder trial

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court murder trial, the public was excluded while three Garda National Surveillance Unit members gave anonymous evidence. The case concerns the 2013 shooting of dissident republican Peter Butterly outside The Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown, Co. Meath. The accused, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (46), plead not guilty to the murder and McGrath also pleads not guilty to firearms offences. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and remains missing. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. The trial is a retrial after the original collapsed in 2015. Evidence from the surveillance unit involved tracking a silver Toyota Corolla and a green Opel Zafira, with witnesses identifying Kelly and describing the pursuit and arrest. The trial continues before Justice Tony Hunt and two other judges.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Public excluded from court as gardai give evidence anonymously in murder trial. Charges or matters: his murder; firearms offences on the same occasion. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 6, 2013 Other
• 2017-01-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report