Courts / Meath / Report

Peter Butterly murderer fails in Supreme Court bid

Summary

Sharif Kelly, 54, of Balbriggan, Co Dublin, has failed in his bid to pursue a conviction appeal before the Supreme Court regarding the 2013 murder of dissident Republican Peter Butterly. Kelly, who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in April 2017. The court heard that Dean Evans, who pleaded guilty to the murder, fired the three fatal shots into Butterly at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, while Kelly was the getaway driver. Kelly's earlier Court of Appeal challenge in April 2022 was dismissed, with judges unimpressed by his objections to the evidence of protected witness David Cullen. Cullen, who turned State's witness, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the scene and was sentenced in July 2014 to seven years in prison, with three and a half years suspended. Kelly's lawyers also sought to introduce fresh evidence concerning Garda Joseph Doyle, who was later jailed for corruption and deception offences. The Supreme Court refused leave to appeal, determining that issues regarding the admissibility of accomplice-type evidence are primarily for the trial court to analyse and that the Court of Appeal correctly applied established principles governing fresh evidence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Peter Butterly murderer fails in Supreme Court bid. Charges or matters: the murder; the murder, fired the three fatal shots into Mr Butterly; the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on the day of the shooting and was sentenced in July 2014 to seven years in prison, with three and a half years suspended; 29 sample charges in July 2024 on offences of deception, corruption and money laundering between 2018 and 2020. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• April 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 6, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• April 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• July 2014 Incident
• July 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2018 and 2020 Incident
• 2025-02-04 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Fraud Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report