Courts / Kilkenny / Report

Brother tells cold case murder trial that accused stabbed him hours after confessing killing

Summary

The Central Criminal Court heard testimony from Bernard 'Barney' Malone in the ongoing trial of John Joseph Malone, who is accused of murdering 69-year-old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on 11th September 1987 at her home on Wolfe Tone Street in Kilkenny. The accused, a 53-year-old man from Newpark, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering the widowed pensioner, who was allegedly strangled before her house was set on fire. Barney Malone testified that his brother confessed to the killing approximately ten years ago, claiming it was motivated by a pigeon trophy. The witness stated that the accused later returned to his home and stabbed him, an incident for which the accused received a suspended sentence after Barney Malone requested leniency. The witness disclosed this confession to a garda superintendent for the first time during that legal process. In cross-examination, the accused agreed that he had previously served two sentences for separate rapes in Kilkenny. The trial is currently at the sentence stage regarding the witness's prior conviction, while the murder trial continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury. Cross-examination of the witness is scheduled to continue on Monday.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Brother tells cold case murder trial that accused stabbed him hours after confessing killing. Charges or matters: murdering 69-year-old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on 11th September 1987 at her home on Wolfe Tone Street in the city. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• 11th September 1987 Hearing Or Sentence
• September 10th Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-03-30 Publication

Why: "He came back to kill me because he had slipped up badly. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report