Courts / Kilkenny / Report

Jury takes less than 80 mins to find man who mutilated pensioner guilty of murder

Date
2022-03-11

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Kilkenny

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury found Trevor Rowe, 30, guilty of murdering 71‑year‑old Ann Butler on 20 March 2020. The jury deliberated for 1 hour 19 minutes, rejecting Rowe's intoxication defence. Evidence included three anonymous 999 calls from 25 March 2020 in which Rowe admitted the murder and identified the body's location on Maudlin Street, Kilkenny. Gardaí discovered Rowe at his Abbey Street apartment, where he confessed to killing Butler, slitting her throat and stabbing her head. Forensic evidence linked a Linden Village cider can and a wooden crucifix fragment to Rowe, and a large piece of cardboard was found in Butler's mouth. The judge will impose a mandatory life sentence on 1 April and remand Rowe until then. The Butler family will be allowed to address the court on the impact of the death. Trevor Rowe pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jury takes less than 80 mins to find man who mutilated pensioner guilty of murder. Charges or matters: murdering 71-year-old Ann Butler at her home at Maudlin Street, Kilkenny on March 20, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

March 25, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
March 20, 2020 Other
April 1 Adjournment
March 25 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
March 25 Incident
March 20 Other
2022-03-11 Publication

Why: When asked by gardai why he could not tell them what he did to Ms Butler, Rowe replied: "because it's disgusting. CNI source report

Case subjects

Trevor Rowe

Defendant

Charges: murdering 71-year-old Ann Butler at her home at Maudlin Street, Kilkenny on March 20, 2020 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Outcome: Ms Justice O'Connor will hand down the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment to Rowe on April 1 and remanded the defendant in custody until that date.; Ms Justice O'Connor will hand down the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment to Rowe on April 1 and remanded the defendant in custody until that date.