Courts / Offaly / Report

UK man who murdered elderly woman 47 years ago faces return to custody

Summary

In 2019, a court heard that Roy Norman Kenyon, aged 64, who had been living in Ireland under the alias Alan McPherson for 15 years, was facing a return to the United Kingdom to continue serving a life sentence for the 1972 murder of Margaret Potts. Kenyon had escaped from HMP Leyhill in 2003 after 31 years of imprisonment, failing to return from a home leave on 29 May 2003. He was arrested in Eyeries, Co Cork, on 2 May 2018. The court was informed that Kenyon had killed Potts on 15 December 1972 after an argument, striking her twice in the head with a poker while she sat in an armchair. Mr Ronan Kennedy, representing the Minister for Justice & Equality, presented evidence of Kenyon's escape and the European Arrest Warrant issued for his return.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: UK man who murdered elderly woman 47 years ago faces return to custody. Charges or matters: murder. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 2003 Incident
• May 2018 Incident
• December 1972 Incident
• 2019-02-19 Publication

Why: Addressing suggestions that Mr Kenyon had "adjudications for selling drugs" and "positive drug tests," Mr Guerin explained that while in prison Mr Kenyon was prescribed a strong painkiller "which may have had an impact on drug tests". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report