Courts / Armagh / Report
Jurors in Aaron Brady trial may have visited Crossmaglen, appeal told
Summary
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 12 October 2023, Aaron Brady's defence argued that two jurors in his 2020 murder trial may have visited Crossmaglen after the verdict, a claim that required clarification. Brady, aged 32, was convicted of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe and sentenced to life imprisonment with a 40‑year minimum, plus a concurrent 14‑year robbery term. The defence sought leave to raise this as a new ground of appeal, citing a meeting between a juror and the jury minder on 3 March 2021 and a subsequent encounter on 16 June 2022. Brendan Grehan SC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, maintained that the law clearly prohibits questioning jurors about deliberations after a verdict, citing the long‑established rule that such inquiries undermine finality.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jurors in Aaron Brady trial may have visited Crossmaglen, appeal told. Charges or matters: murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, may have visited Crossmaglen in Co Armagh after the trial "needed clarification and couldn't be left hanging", the appellant's lawyers have told the Court of Appeal; the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- March 3, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 16, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 12, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 25, 2013 Other
- August 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2023-10-12 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, may have visited Crossmaglen in Co Armagh after the trial "needed clarification and couldn't be left hanging", the appellant's lawyers have told the Court of Appeal; the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020 (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Father-of-one Brady, who was jailed in 2020 for a minimum of 40 years for the murder of the detective, is bidding to overturn his conviction before the three-judge appeals court. Brady was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery, a sentence that will run concurrently with the life sentence.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- inviting him to the garda station
- New Road
- Crossmaglen
- Armagh
- Lordship Credit Union
Topics
Stage Appeal Theft Violent Crime
Related court reports
- Garda murderer Brady's 'contempt' for trial with secret recording lands him with increased sentence
- Criminal who tried to dissuade witness in garda murder trial seeks to overturn conviction
- Garda killer's sentence for witness interference too lenient, says DPP
- Criminal who conspired with garda murderer over trial witness loses appeal
- Violent criminal claims he had 'benign' motive for attempted witness interference in garda killer's trial
- Garda killer Brady gets three more years for conspiring to pervert justice
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