Courts / Cork / Report

Murderer fails in bid to introduce new ground of appeal over 'house of horrors' conviction

Date
2022-12-20

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Bandon

County
Cork

Summary

Ciprian Grozavu, 48, a Romanian national, was convicted of murdering John Forrester, 42, in 2011 at Bridge House, Bandon. The body was tied with cable and dumped in the River Bandon. A 10‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court ended with a unanimous jury verdict and a mandatory life sentence imposed by Mr Justice Paul Carney in March 2014. In December 2022, Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed a motion by Lorcan Staines SC that the jury should have received a warning about circumstantial evidence. The judge held that the case was based on direct evidence, including admissions by Grozavu and witnesses, and that neither side had requested a warning. The dismissal meant the appeal was not pursued. Grozavu's co‑accused, Catherine O'Connor, also pleaded guilty to the murder of Forrester and was sentenced to life. Grozavu was later found guilty of a second murder, Jonathan Duke, and received an eight‑year sentence for impeding the apprehension of another. Catherine O'Connor was acquitted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Murderer fails in bid to introduce new ground of appeal over 'house of horrors' conviction. Charges or matters: the murder of 42-year-old John Forrester at the same "house of horrors" on November 12, 2011; Mr Forrester's murder, while both were further accused of the murder of a second man the very next night, November 13, 2011; both murders and sentenced to life in prison. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty; Acquitted

When:

November 12, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
March 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
November 13, 2011 Incident
2022-12-20 Publication

Why: Gardaí believe he was killed because he had knowledge of the first murder. CNI source report

Case subjects

Catherine O'Connor

Co Accused

Charges: Mr Forrester's murder, while both were further accused of the murder of a second man the very next night, November 13, 2011; both murders and sentenced to life in prison (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Acquitted

Outcome: Acquitted

Ciprian Grozavu

Appellant

Charges: the murder of 42-year-old John Forrester at the same "house of horrors" on November 12, 2011; Mr Forrester's murder, while both were further accused of the murder of a second man the very next night, November 13, 2011; both murders and sentenced to life in prison (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; A jury unanimously found Grozavu guilty of the murder after a 10-day trial at the Central Criminal Court and Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory life sentence on him in March 2014. Father-of-one Grozavu was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life in prison.