Courts / Donegal / Report
Pair guilty of murdering pensioner whose body was thrown off Donegal cliffs
Summary
Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been found guilty of murdering 66-year-old Robert Wilkin at the Central Criminal Court. The jury returned majority verdicts of ten to two against each accused. Wilkin's body was discovered in the sea below Sliabh Liag cliffs in County Donegal on June 25, 2023, eight days after his death. The trial heard that Wilkin suffered at least two depressed fractures to the head before being thrown from the cliff. DNA evidence linked blood and hair found on a rock at the cliff top to the victim. Both accused blamed the other for the assault, but the prosecution argued they acted in joint enterprise to cause serious harm. Vial, aged 39 from Killybegs, and Burns, aged 23 from Carrick, had pleaded not guilty. Both will receive the mandatory life sentence at a sentencing hearing, where the victim's family will make statements to the court.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Pair guilty of murdering pensioner whose body was thrown off Donegal cliffs. Charges or matters: murder. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- June 25, 2023 Other
- 2025-03-06 Publication
Why: Burns also told Ms O'Dowd that the body would not be found but she was concerned that they might get caught because of the blood in the car. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murder (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Both will be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at a sentencing hearing tomorrow
Defendant
Charges: murder (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Both will be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment at a sentencing hearing tomorrow
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Leterkenny Hospital
- Chris Quinn's house
Topics
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