Courts / Cork / Report

Woman appeals conviction for murdering brother in 'family dispute' over house

Date
2023-12-19

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Bandon

County
Cork

Summary

In December 2021 a 56‑year‑old woman, Helen Jones, was convicted of murdering her 52‑year‑old brother Paul Jones in Cork. The jury found that on 4 September 2019 Jones and her partner Keith O'Hara had taken a taxi to Paul's house on Bandon Road, where an altercation at the front door led to Paul being found inside the house wearing only underwear and covered in blood. A post‑mortem revealed 25 stab wounds and a chop wound to the head. Jones was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath. In December 2023 Jones appealed, arguing that the search warrant issued on 10 September 2019 by a district court judge was not valid because the detective's oath was not properly recorded. The Court of Appeal heard arguments from both sides, with the DPP maintaining the warrant was lawful and the appeal pending.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman appeals conviction for murdering brother in 'family dispute' over house. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

December 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
September 4, 2019 Incident
September 10, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
December 2, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
2023-12-19 Publication

Why: Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy asked if in effect what was being argued was that the oath taken was meaningless because the district court judge did not ask any questions. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed 56-year-old

Appellant

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Jones, who was convicted at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork following a month long trial, was sentenced by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.