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Colm Deely sentenced to 8 years for strangling woman and dumping body in ocean
Summary
Colm Deely, aged 45, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for the manslaughter of 43‑year‑old Deirdre McCarthy. The case arose after McCarthy's body washed up on Fanore Beach, Co Clare, after Deely had dumped her in the sea. Deely had earlier been convicted of murder in 2013, but that conviction was quashed because the forensic work of Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabbar had not been peer‑reviewed. In January 2017 Deely pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter at a hearing in the Central Criminal Court. The judge, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, noted that the offence was aggravated by Deely's callous disposal of the body and his return to work with McCarthy's brother shortly after the killing. The sentence was imposed in the absence of evidence that would have supported a murder charge, and the judge emphasised the substantial period of imprisonment required for the killing.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Colm Deely sentenced to 8 years for strangling woman and dumping body in ocean. 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: sentence
When:
- March 28, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- Christmas Other
- 2017-03-20 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
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 43-year-old Ms McCarthy, at a place unknown on or about March 28, 2011 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Deely had originally been jailed for life for Ms McCarthy's murder following a trial in June 2013. Describing Deely as a former "hard-working and respected member" of his community, he said the starting point for sentencing would have been 12 years, adding that Deely must serve a "substantial period of imprisonment" for killing Ms McCarthy.
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