Courts / Wicklow / Report

Man who drove victim to "shallow grave" has appeal against murder conviction dismissed

Summary

Michael Dickenson, aged 29, was convicted of murder for the death of Stephen O'Meara, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Wicklow. He was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy on 7 July 2012. Dickenson appealed against the conviction, arguing that he had not known O'Meara would be shot and that his initial arrest under the Public Order Act was unlawful. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal, dismissed it. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Mr Justice Seán Ryan and Mr Justice George Birmingham, held that Dickenson had driven O'Meara to the woods where a shallow grave was dug and another man shot him, constituting a joint enterprise. The court found the subsequent arrest on suspicion of murder lawful, despite the earlier unlawful arrest, and upheld the conviction and life sentence. Michael Dickenson pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who drove victim to "shallow grave" has appeal against murder conviction dismissed. Charges or matters: the murder of Mr O'Meara at Ballydonnell Wood, Red Cross, Co Wicklow on or about August 6, 2009. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• August 6, 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
• July 7, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-02-17 Publication

Why: Counsel for Dickenson, Patrick Marrinan SC, submitted that his clients initial arrest was not only unlawful but the prosecution had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was not an ulterior motive behind the initial arrest. Prosecution account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Public Order Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report