Courts / Dublin / Report

Non-jury court rejects application to rule out evidence of murder accused's arrest

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the court decided to proceed with the trial of Peter Butterly's alleged murderers, Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly, after a third accused, Dean Evans, failed to appear. Both McGrath and Kelly pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. The court heard from Adriana Skorus, who lived opposite the Huntsman Inn where Butterly was shot. She described hearing two gunshots, seeing a man with a small black handgun in the carpark, and observing a vehicle leave the premises. Skorus also noted a second car entering the carpark minutes later. The defence had previously applied to exclude evidence of the accused men's arrests, arguing the detentions were unlawful, but the court rejected that application. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues after the earlier trial collapsed in January 2015. The hearing took place on 3 February 2017.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Non-jury court rejects application to rule out evidence of murder accused's arrest. Charges or matters: the alleged murder; firearms offences on the same occasion. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 6th, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-02-03 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report