Courts / Dublin / Report

Woman guilty of disguising herself as dead granny to conceal murder

Date
2020-02-26

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Rathfarnham

County
Dublin

Summary

At the Central Criminal Court, a jury convicted Stephanie O'Connor of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, who was found guilty of murdering Patricia O'Connor on May 29, 2017. The jury accepted the State's case that O'Connor disguised herself as her grandmother to conceal the death, creating a false CCTV record that Mrs O'Connor had left the house. The jury took eight hours and 36 minutes to reach this unanimous verdict. However, they did not reach verdicts on the remaining counts against Louise O'Connor and Keith Johnston. Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned the matter, directing the jury to resume deliberations on these two counts tomorrow morning at 10.30am. Louise O'Connor, who pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in the disguise, and Keith Johnston, who pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in purchasing implements for concealment, remain awaiting verdicts. The trial heard that Greene changed his account of the killing, initially claiming self-defense before alleging that Johnston and others were involved. The court has not yet finalized the proceedings for the remaining accused.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman guilty of disguising herself as dead granny to conceal murder. Charges or matters: disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead; impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence, to wit the murder of Mrs O'Connor on May 29, 2017; agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O'Connor was dead; assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie's, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9, 2017, which were to be deployed in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O'Connor

When:

May 29, 2017 Incident
June 10 Hearing Or Sentence
May 29 Hearing Or Sentence
June 21 Hearing Or Sentence
June 9, 2017 Other
June 2017 Incident
December 2017 Adjournment
June 9 Other
2020-02-26 Publication

Why: Credit: Collins) A Central Criminal Court jury has convicted a 22-year-old woman of disguising herself as her dead grandmother, who had been bludgeoned to death by her mother's partner, in order to conceal her murder. CNI source report

Case subjects

Keith Johnston

Accused

Charges: disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead; impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence, to wit the murder of Mrs O'Connor on May 29, 2017; agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as Mrs O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O'Connor was dead; assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie's, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9, 2017, which were to be deployed in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O'Connor; her murder, Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner's mother (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Louise O'Connor

Accused

Plea: Not guilty

Patricia O'Connor

Applicant

Stephanie O'Connor

Accused

Plea: Not guilty