Courts / Limerick / Report
Accused awaiting trial in non-jury Special Criminal Court facing long delays
Summary
The Special Criminal Court has fixed a trial date for April 2017, the earliest available slot, amid significant backlog delays. The court currently has 32 people before it and has scheduled 19 trials extending into early 2017. Among these is the trial of Donal Billings, a Co Longford man charged with possession of an improvised explosive device, scheduled for October 2016. Billings has been on bail for several years awaiting this trial, which is set to begin over five and a half years after the alleged offences. The Supreme Court previously criticised delays in the case of Thomas "Slab" Murphy, who faces alleged tax offences dating back to 1996, noting that much of the delay was caused by his repeated challenges. Recent high-profile proceedings have also contributed to the schedule's congestion. In July 2014, Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins and jailed for life following a 29-day trial. Additionally, the trial of three men accused of the murder of Peter Butterly collapsed in January after 55 days due to a disclosure issue; their retrial is ordered for January 2017, and they have been released on bail. A separate legal issue regarding IRA membership arrests is pending before the Court of Appeal, with the State set to hear an appeal next June against a ruling that gardai cannot arrest suspects for IRA membership without a warrant if previously arrested for the same offence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Accused awaiting trial in non-jury Special Criminal Court facing long delays. Charges or matters: possession of an improvised explosive device; murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- April 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 1972 Incident
- 1972 until 2010 Other
- 2015-04-23 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were jailed for life by the court in July 2014 after a 29 day trial when they were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins.
Appellant
Outcome: Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were jailed for life by the court in July 2014 after a 29 day trial when they were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins.
Convicted Person
Charges: murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Wayne Dundon and Nathan Killeen were jailed for life by the court in July 2014 after a 29 day trial when they were convicted of the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins.
Places mentioned
- The Special Criminal Court
- Supreme Court
- Court of Appeal
- Special Criminal Court
- Green Street
- Green Street courthouse
Topics
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