Courts / Galway / Report
Conviction for murdering man who refused to withdraw garda complaint is upheld
Summary
In a case heard by the Central Criminal Court, Latvian national Andrejs Krauze, aged 33, was convicted of murdering fellow Latvian Juris Buls, aged 30, in County Galway on 7 or 8 July 2011. Buls had failed to report for a night shift at Titan Plastics and was later found dead in Funshion Woods. Witnesses testified that Krauze had entered Buls' home in February, confronted him over a car dispute, and after Buls filed a garda complaint of assault, Krauze strangled him and moved the body to the woods. Krauze pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment on 29 March 2017. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, rejecting all grounds of appeal and confirming the fairness of the trial and the validity of the evidence presented. The appeal was dismissed by a three‑judge panel led by Mr Justice George Birmingham.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Conviction for murdering man who refused to withdraw garda complaint is upheld. Charges or matters: murdering his fellow countryman Juris Buls (30) in the county on July 7 or 8, 2011. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- July 7 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 29, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-03-21 Publication
Why: Mr Justice Birmingham said the court was in no doubt that the jury was entitled to hear this evidence, given that it provided a motive for the murder, on the prosecution's case. Prosecution account reported by CNI
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murdering his fellow countryman Juris Buls (30) in the county on July 7 or 8, 2011 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Krauze was unanimously found guilty by a jury and given the mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan on March 29, 2017. He said Krauze was interviewed in March, 2012 while serving a prison sentence for theft in the Latvian capital, Riga.
Places mentioned
- Dudley Heights
- Glenamaddy
- Galway
- The Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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