Courts / Kildare / Report

Killer who beat 'Bomber' Keane to death fails in appeal

Date
2021-06-04

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Kildare

County
Kildare

Summary

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal by Séamus Morgan, who was found guilty of the murder of Laurence 'Bomber' Keane. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, ruled that there were no grounds to find the trial unfair or the verdict unsafe. Morgan, a 53-year-old from Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2016 for beating Keane to death in a laneway near the Greenhills estate in July 2013. He had previously served an eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty of the manslaughter of James Hand in 2002. Defence counsel Seán Gillane SC argued that the trial judge erred regarding the admissibility of previous convictions and misdirected the jury on identification evidence. The Court of Appeal rejected these claims, finding the trial judge's approach on prior convictions and witness recognition evidence to be legally sound. The court also noted that while the judge's warning on street lighting was not strong, it was adequate given the focus on witness honesty. During the proceedings, the presiding judge and Mr Justice McCarthy recalled potential prior involvement in Morgan's earlier case. Both parties confirmed no objection to the original panel proceeding, and the appeal was ultimately lost.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Killer who beat 'Bomber' Keane to death fails in appeal. Charges or matters: Keane's murder was unfair or that the verdict was unsafe. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

January 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
July 18, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
April 1998 Incident
2021-06-04 Publication

Why: With regard to recognition evidence, Court of Appeal president Mr Justice Birmingham, presiding with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, said it was not easy to see why eyewitnesses to a fatal assault would be fearful about giving evidence because of their fear of the deceased or his associates. CNI source report

Case subjects

Bomber' Keane

Appellant

Charges: Keane's murder was unfair or that the verdict was unsafe (Proven)

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty

Séamus Morgan

Convicted Person

Charges: Keane's murder was unfair or that the verdict was unsafe (Proven)

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; The 53-year-old killer had previously served an eight-year jail sentence after being found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter of James Hand (29) who was the victim of a fatal stabbing by Morgan outside The Meeting House pub on Upper Dorset Street in Dublin in 2002.