Courts / Kilkenny / Report

Ex-partner tells murder trial that accused said he stabbed deceased

Date
2015-05-08

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Kilkenny

Summary

During the murder trial of Tadhg Butler, the former partner Mary Rose Burke testified that she visited Butler in Cork Prison in January 2014 and that he told her he had stabbed Michael O'Dwyer once. She said she had five children with him and that they had separated more than three years earlier. Burke claimed Butler had asked her to use her address for bail, which she refused, and that he had taken Valium and whiskey that night. She also said he was a good friend of O'Dwyer and had only stabbed him once. The defence questioned her about the relationship and her motives, and she denied using the children to extract information. The prosecution and defence discussed her statements to Gardaí and her alleged false claims. The court heard that Butler was arrested after the incident and that no weapon was found at the scene. The trial was scheduled to resume on Monday. Tadhg Butler pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Ex-partner tells murder trial that accused said he stabbed deceased. Charges or matters: murdering Michael O'Dwyer at that address on 10th January, 2014; murdering his fellow Kilkenny man; murdering the deceased. Procedural stage: trial

When:

10th January Hearing Or Sentence
January 2014 Incident
January 13 Incident
January 9 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
2015-05-08 Publication

Why: "Would it not be fair to say you would be the last person in the world that the accused man would trust with any kind of confidence because of how bad your relationship was? 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; murdering the deceased (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty