Courts / Kilkenny / Report

Witness tells trial she reported murder accused's confession 20 years ago

Summary

During the Central Criminal Court hearing on 4 April 2017, Ann Walsh, former sister‑in‑law of John Joseph Malone, testified that she had reported Malone's alleged confession to Gardaí about twenty years earlier. Walsh, who had been married to Malone's brother Bernard, said she had heard Malone admit to killing 69‑year‑old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth on three separate occasions. The first confession was in a pub in 1991, where Malone allegedly said he had killed Smyth; Walsh's husband told him to leave. The second confession occurred in 1996 while Malone was walking Walsh home from a pub; he threatened to burn her house and harm her children, and Walsh reported this to Sergeant Eddie Geraghty. Walsh confirmed she had told the Sergeant everything Malone said that night. The court also heard statements from two lodgers who had stayed with Smyth in 1987, but the focus of the testimony was Walsh's reports of Malone's confessions and threats. John Joseph Malone pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Witness tells trial she reported murder accused's confession 20 years ago. 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: trial

When:

• 11th September 1987 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-04-04 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Related court reports

• Former Christian Brothers accused of breach of duty to be named in national newspaper
• High Court to consider publishing names of 340 former Christian Brothers
• Judge should have convicted drivers caught like 'fish in a barrel' in 'unjust speed zone'
• Disabled snooker player acquitted of assaulting Carlow gardaí
• Mayo jury returns insanity verdict in telecoms damage case
• Musician gets 16.5 years for repeatedly raping then-wife and her sister

Read the original CNI report