Courts / Sligo / Report

Mother who cleaned up murder scene jailed for 18 months

Date
2014-01-13

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Carney

County
Sligo

Summary

Siobhan Whitaker, 25, of Meadow Vale, London, pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension of a person she believed to be guilty of Maurice Martin's murder in Finglas on 12 June 2009. She admitted that she cleaned up the scene after the murder, which was carried out by Daniel Gaynor, a known violent offender who stabbed Martin to death. Whitaker had no involvement in the murder itself and had previously been described as having good character. The court noted her early guilty plea and her 21 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, and imposed an 18‑month prison term. Whitaker's statement to the court was that she did not ask for the events to happen and that she felt guilty for her actions. The sentence was handed down by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mother who cleaned up murder scene jailed for 18 months. Charges or matters: impeding the apprehension of an individual who she knew or believed to be guilty of Maurice Martin's murder in Finglas on June 12, 2009; a crime which carries a penalty of 10 years." "The person who instructed her to clean up the scene was a person of known violent propensity who had threatened her previously," he said. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

June 12, 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
June 22, 2009 Incident
2014-01-13 Publication

Why: " "I'm pleading guilty because I felt guilty," said Whitaker. CNI source report

Case subjects

Daniel Gaynor

Background Person

Charges: a crime which carries a penalty of 10 years." "The person who instructed her to clean up the scene was a person of known violent propensity who had threatened her previously," he said (Proven)

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Passing sentence, Mr Justice Paul Carney said Whitaker had "no involvement whatsoever in the murder" and noted her previous good character but said she "pleaded guilty to a crime which carries a penalty of 10 years." "The person who instructed her to clean up the scene was a person of known violent propensity who had threatened her previously," he said.

Siobhan Whitaker

Convicted Person

Charges: impeding the apprehension of an individual who she knew or believed to be guilty of Maurice Martin's murder in Finglas on June 12, 2009; a crime which carries a penalty of 10 years." "The person who instructed her to clean up the scene was a person of known violent propensity who had threatened her previously," he said (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Convicted