Courts / Meath / Report

Court "misled", defence tell Peter Butterly murder trial

Date
2017-02-20

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Gormanston

County
Meath

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing on 20 February 2017, a defence barrister argued that the court had been misled regarding the evidence of a protected witness in the Peter Butterly murder case. Butterly, aged 35, was shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on 6 March 2013. David Cullen, originally accused, turned State witness over a year later and gave evidence implicating his former co‑accused. Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47) pleaded not guilty to the murder; McGrath also pleaded not guilty to firearms offences. Dean Evans (24) failed to attend and was not located. The court proceeded with McGrath and Kelly in Evans's absence. Cullen testified for over four days in a voir‑dire, and his evidence will be reviewed by the judges. Defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó'Lideadha SC contended that omissions in police note‑taking deprived the court of essential material, alleging a deliberate policy of not recording conversations.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Court "misled", defence tell Peter Butterly murder trial. Charges or matters: the alleged murder; firearms offences on the same occasion. Procedural stage: trial

When:

March 6th, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
2017-02-20 Publication

Why: Giollaíosa Ó'Lideadha SC, for Mr Kelly, has submitted that "omissions" in note-taking among gardai regarding how Cullen turned State witness mean that the court is lacking some "essential material" in order to assess whether or not Mr Kelly's right to a fair trial is upheld. CNI source report