Courts / Wicklow / Report
Blood-smeared killer who handed gardai knife is found not guilty of murder
Summary
A Central Criminal Court jury found Darren Houlden not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter after he admitted stabbing Stephen "Apples" Kavanagh 40 times. Houlden, 44, arrived at Arklow Garda Station in blood‑stained clothes with a knife, claiming he had lost control and was provoked by Kavanagh's threat that "gangsters" would come to shoot him over missing cocaine. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued a partial defence of provocation, citing Kavanagh's anger and threats. The jury rejected the State's claim that Houlden had weighed his options and reasoned before attacking. The verdict was reached after 3 hours 16 minutes of deliberation. Sentencing was adjourned to February 1, with Houlden remanded in custody pending a victim impact statement. The judge thanked the jury and exempted them from service for five years. The case was heard in the early hours of May 6, 2019.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Blood-smeared killer who handed gardai knife is found not guilty of murder. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Kavanagh (37) at the same location in the early hours of May 6, 2019. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- May 6 Incident
- May 6, 2019 Other
- February 1 Adjournment
- May 5 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 4 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2020-12-04 Publication
Why: However, the witness denied that the victim had asked him to come to Meadowvale because some of his crack cocaine had gone missing and he wanted help with the problem. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Kavanagh (37) at the same location in the early hours of May 6, 2019 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: The judge expressed her condolences to the Kavanagh family saying: "The court appreciates the difficulty visited upon you and it can't have been easy to sit through the evidence during the course of the trial." Ms Justice Stewart adjourned sentencing until February 1 and remanded Houlden in custody until that date, when a victim impact statement will be before the court.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Houlden drove to Arklow Garda Station
- Arklow
- in charge at Arklow Garda Station
- custody area of Arklow Garda Station
- Houlden's house
- St Vincent's Hospital
Topics
Drugs Stage Trial Violent Crime
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