Courts / Mayo / Report

Double murderer's appeal holding up inquest

Date
2019-01-18

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Castlebar

County
Mayo

Summary

A man convicted of murdering two elderly brothers in Castlebar in July 2013 has had his appeal held up pending legal submissions, which is now delaying an inquest into the deaths. Alan Cawley, aged 31, was found guilty by jury at the Central Criminal Court in 2017 of killing Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, at New Antrim Street. He received a mandatory life sentence. Cawley had admitted the killings but denied murder, arguing diminished responsibility due to mental health conditions. The jury rejected this claim. The Court of Appeal has requested that Cawley's legal representatives provide the Coroner for Mayo with an update on the appeal's progress, as the inquest cannot proceed until the appeal concludes. The coroner's delay is causing concern to the deceased's family, according to the court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Double murderer's appeal holding up inquest. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

10th July 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
July 25, 2017 Other
July 9th Other
October 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
2019-01-18 Publication

Case subjects

Alan Cawley

Convicted Person

Outcome: However, he was unanimously found guilty by a jury after an hour and 42 minutes of deliberations and given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Paul Coffey on July 25, 2017.