Courts / Mayo / Report

Double murderer who bludgeoned special needs brothers to death told to "rot in hell"

Date
2019-12-16

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Castlebar

County
Mayo

Summary

Alan Cawley, aged 32, of Four Winds, Corrinbla, Ballina, County Mayo, has lost his appeal against murder convictions at the Court of Appeal. Cawley was found guilty in 2017 of murdering Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, at New Antrim Street in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. He had admitted killing the brothers with a shovel and a walking stick but denied murder, arguing diminished responsibility due to mental health disorders. A jury unanimously rejected this defence, and Mr Justice Paul Coffey imposed mandatory life sentences. Cawley appealed on grounds that the trial judge misdirected the jury regarding intoxication and diminished responsibility. The three-judge appeal panel, led by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, found no error in the trial judge's instructions and dismissed the appeal. The brothers, who had special needs and were under HSE care, were both assaulted fatally during the attack.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Double murderer who bludgeoned special needs brothers to death told to "rot in hell". Procedural stage: appeal

When:

10th July 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
July 25, 2017 Other
July 9th Other
2019-12-16 Publication

Case subjects

Alan Cawley

Convicted Person

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