Courts / Clare / Report

Canal body killer McArdle surrenders himself to Holland

Date
2020-11-20
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Ennis
County
Clare

Summary

Barry McArdle, 34, of Drimnagh, Dublin, who had been living in Galway, formally surrendered to Dutch authorities for his role in the 2009 stabbing and dismemberment of Keith Ennis, 29, whose body was disposed of in a canal between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. McArdle had previously been acquitted of the stabbing in the Netherlands but was later found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in 2020 after a Supreme Court ruling upheld the appeal. He had already served two years of a 12‑year, 3‑month sentence imposed in 2018 for dismemberment. The Irish High Court issued an extradition warrant on 22 April, endorsed on 6 June, and McArdle was arrested in Galway on 1 July under a European Arrest Warrant. At the extradition hearing, the court remanded him in custody for 10 days pending surrender to the Netherlands.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Canal body killer McArdle surrenders himself to Holland. Charges or matters: the stabbing and sentenced to 13 years; "murder/manslaughter and of removing or disposing Mr Ennis' body in order to conceal the cause of death", said Ms Cummings. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Acquitted

When:

Why: McArdle was found guilty of "murder/manslaughter and of removing or disposing Mr Ennis' body in order to conceal the cause of death", said Ms Cummings. CNI source report

Case subjects

Barry McArdle

Appellant

Charges: the stabbing and sentenced to 13 years; "murder/manslaughter and of removing or disposing Mr Ennis' body in order to conceal the cause of death", said Ms Cummings (Alleged Or Contested)

Finding: Acquitted

Outcome: Acquitted; The public prosecutor in the Netherlands successfully appealed the not-guilty verdict and in 2020, after a Supreme Court ruling upheld that decision, McArdle was found guilty of the stabbing and sentenced to 13 years. Ms Cummings said that the balance of McArdle's sentence left to serve was 4,514 days.; Mr Justice Burns remanded McArdle in custody for 10 days, pending his surrender to the Netherlands.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • High Court
  • Court of Appeal
  • Supreme Court
Secondary Mention
Residence
Incident

Topics

Stage Appeal

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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