Courts / Kilkenny / Report

Woman tells murder trial her former partner told her he stabbed deceased

Date
2015-04-29

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Kilkenny

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 29 April 2015, Mary Rose Burke, a former partner of 34‑year‑old Tadhg Butler, testified that she visited him in Cork Prison on 13 January 2014 after he was charged with the murder of 25‑year‑old Michael O'Dwyer. She said Butler, who also goes by Thomas O'Grady, told her he had stabbed O'Dwyer once in the chest, was drunk and had taken Valium, and that he was not remorseful. Burke denied that Butler had suggested a plea for manslaughter or that she had an agenda to harm his case. Prosecutor Denis Vaughan Buckley described the alleged events on 9 January 2014, when O'Dwyer was found dead outside Butler's house with a single stab wound. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, was expected to last two weeks. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman tells murder trial her former partner told her he stabbed deceased. Charges or matters: murdering Michael O'Dwyer at that address on 10th January, 2014; murdering his fellow Kilkenny man by stabbing him once in the chest. Procedural stage: trial

When:

10th January Hearing Or Sentence
13th January Incident
9th January Hearing Or Sentence
2015-04-29 Publication

Why: "You're the last person the accused would trust because you would do anything to get rid of him out of your life," suggested Mr Grehan. CNI source report

Case subjects

Tadhg Butler

Accused

Charges: murdering Michael O'Dwyer at that address on 10th January, 2014; murdering his fellow Kilkenny man by stabbing him once in the chest (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty