Courts / Dublin / Report

Non-jury court sits late to hear submissions on admissibility of key evidence

Summary

The Special Criminal Court convened later than scheduled to consider the admissibility of evidence in the trial of three men—Dean Evans (24), Edward McGrath (33), and Sharif Kelly (44)—who have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Peter Butterly (35) and to firearm offences at the Huntsman Inn car park on 6 March 2013. A fourth man, David Cullen (30), who had been part of the murder plan, turned State witness earlier in the year. The court entered a voir dire to examine the legality of the arrests, detentions, and vehicle searches. Judges Deirdre Murphy, Margaret Heneghan, and Cormac Dunne will decide on the admissibility of evidence, including that from National Surveillance Unit officers whose identities and methods are protected. Public access was initially restricted to safeguard the officers' physical characteristics and the unit's methodology, but was later restored for evidence from the Emergency Response Unit. The case will continue tomorrow in the non‑jury court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Non-jury court sits late to hear submissions on admissibility of key evidence. Charges or matters: the murder of Peter Butterly (35) who was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn, at Gormanston Co Meath on March 6 2013; firearm offences at the same address, on the same date. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 6 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2014-11-05 Publication

Why: The public's exclusion was ordered to protect the officers' physical characteristics from exposure and their evidence cannot be published in order to protect the unit's methodology. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Related court reports

• 'Brilliant law academic' who stabbed elderly father to death found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity
• Son who stabbed father to death retains 'full love and support' of family, insanity trial hears
• 'He told me he loved me, but I just kept stabbing him' - lawyer on trial accused of murdering father
• Mentally ill man who received suspended sentence for harassing barrister contacted her within days of release, court hears
• Former solicitor at prestigious firm pleads not guilty to murdering father by reason of insanity
• Offenders who assaulted Quham Babatunde during St Valentine's day violence get five years

Read the original CNI report