Courts / Westmeath / Report
Westmeath man goes on trial accused of murdering mother of his children
Summary
Danny Keena, 54, of Empor, Ballynacargy, Westmeath, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his partner, 41‑year‑old Brigid Maguire, who was strangled in her home on 14 November 2015. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea rejected by the Director of Public Prosecutions. A jury of seven men and five women is hearing the case. Prosecutor Remy Farrell SC described the couple's long‑term partnership, their two teenage children, and the breakdown of their relationship by 2015. He noted that Maguire's daughter, Jade, found her mother lying on the floor and that the mother had been dead for some time, having been strangled. Farrell highlighted that Keena was absent at the time of the killing, had fled, slept rough, and later admitted the killing at a neighbour's house.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Westmeath man goes on trial accused of murdering mother of his children. Charges or matters: the murder of 41-year-old Brigid Maguire at Main Street, Ballynacargy on November 14, 2015; murder, but guilty to her manslaughter. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- November 14, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2017-10-03 Publication
Why: He explained that the family had lived in Empor, but the relationship between the couple had become fraught and had broken down by 2015. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: the murder of 41-year-old Brigid Maguire at Main Street, Ballynacargy on November 14, 2015; murder, but guilty to her manslaughter (Alleged Or Contested)
Places mentioned
- Main Street
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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