Courts / Clare / Report

Victim's family say they will be "haunted forever" by her killing

Date
2017-03-13

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Ballyvaughan

County
Clare

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 13 March 2017, Helen Geoghegan, sister of Deirdre McCarthy, delivered a victim‑impact statement describing the profound grief and lasting trauma her family endured after McCarthy's strangulation and body was dumped in the sea near Fanore Beach on 31 March 2011. Geoghegan recalled McCarthy as a kind, family‑loving woman who enjoyed Christmas and birthdays, and lamented that her mother died of a broken heart and that sleepless nights have become part of the family's daily life. She noted that the accused, Colm Deely, 45, had worked with McCarthy's brother the day after the murder and had shown no remorse. The court heard that Deely had admitted to Gardaí that he killed McCarthy, who he had known since childhood, and that the cause of death was manual strangulation. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded Deely in custody and adjourned sentencing until 20 March. Colm Deely pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Victim's family say they will be "haunted forever" by her killing. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 43-year-old Ms McCarthy, at a place unknown on or about March 28, 2011. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

March 31, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
March 28, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
March 20 Adjournment
Christmas Other
2017-03-13 Publication

Why: After being told that Deely had previously been convicted of Ms McCarthy's murder but that conviction had been quashed, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy asked if this was because "serious questions arose over evidence that wasn't considered sufficiently reliable for the prosecution? Prosecution account reported by CNI