Courts / Dublin / Report

Mother guilty of "ruse" with daughter to hide granny's murder

Date
2020-02-27

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Rathfarnham

County
Dublin

Summary

A Central Criminal Court jury convicted Louise O'Connor, 41, of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, 35, for the murder of her mother Patricia O'Connor, 61, on 29 May 2017. The State alleged that Louise agreed to a ruse in which her daughter Stephanie, 22, disguised herself as her grandmother to create CCTV footage showing the grandmother leaving the house at 9.34 pm, thereby concealing the murder. The jury found Louise an integral part of the charade, having supported Stephanie's actions and given misleading statements to Gardaí. Stephanie was also found guilty of dressing as her grandmother and pretending to leave the house. The trial lasted seven weeks; the jury deliberated 10 hours and 25 minutes before reaching a unanimous verdict in Louise's case. No verdict was reached on the remaining count against Louise's ex‑boyfriend Keith Johnston, 43. The trial concluded with the jury suspended for lunch and scheduled to resume later. Louise O'Connor pleaded not guilty. Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mother guilty of "ruse" with daughter to hide granny's murder. Charges or matters: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence, to wit the murder of Mrs O'Connor on May 29, 2017; her murder, Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner's mother; 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. Procedural stage: trial

When:

May 29, 2017 Incident
June 10 Hearing Or Sentence
May 29 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2017 Incident
December 2017 Adjournment
June 9, 2017 Other
2020-02-27 Publication

Why: Credit: Collins) A Central Criminal Court jury has convicted a mother-of-five of agreeing to "a ruse" in which her daughter disguised herself as her grandmother, who had been bludgeoned to death, in order to conceal the murder. CNI source report

Case subjects

Keith Johnston

Defendant

Charges: her murder, Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner's mother; 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 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Kieran Greene

Defendant

Louise O'Connor

Convicted Person

Charges: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence, to wit the murder of Mrs O'Connor on May 29, 2017; her murder, Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner's mother; 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 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty