Courts / Kildare / Report

Convicted killer jailed for life for murder of dissident republican Larry Keane

Date
2016-01-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Athy

County
Kildare

Summary

Seamus Morgan, 49, of Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Laurence Keane, 56. A jury of three men and nine women returned a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for three hours and six minutes. Mr Justice Robert Eagar imposed the life sentence, backdating it to April 23, 2014, the date Morgan entered custody. Morgan had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court heard that Keane was beaten in a lane-way in Athy on July 18, 2013, suffering severe blunt force trauma to the head, and died the following day. Evidence included witness testimony of a scuffle and forensic analysis of blood stains on the accused's runners, which matched Keane's DNA profile. Morgan has eight previous convictions, including a 2005 manslaughter conviction for the stabbing death of James Hand outside a Dublin pub, for which he received an eight-year sentence. The victim's family read a statement describing Keane as a disabled man and expressing the lasting impact of his death. The judge exempted the jury from service for four years.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted killer jailed for life for murder of dissident republican Larry Keane. Charges or matters: murdering Laurence Keane (56) in the town on July 19 2013; murdering Mr Keane; the murder of Mr Hand, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin 7, on or between August 22 and September 5, 2002, at The Meeting Point pub on Dorset Street Upper; having 980lb of an explosive mixture and devices, with the intent to endanger life or enable another to do so, at Dun Laoghaire port on April 2 of the same year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 19 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
July 2005 Incident
August 22 Other
September 5, 2002 Other
April 2 Hearing Or Sentence
April 23 2014 Incident
May 1991 Incident
July 4 2005 Hearing Or Sentence
April 23, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
July 18 2013 Incident
July 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
April 17 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
2016-01-19 Publication

Why: The court heard they would also hear "evidence of a motive" as there was "long standing ill will" between the two men. Court evidence reported by CNI

Case subjects

Larry Keane

Background Person

Charges: murdering Laurence Keane (56) in the town on July 19 2013; murdering Mr Keane; the murder of Mr Hand, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin 7, on or between August 22 and September 5, 2002, at The Meeting Point pub on Dorset Street Upper; having 980lb of an explosive mixture and devices, with the intent to endanger life or enable another to do so, at Dun Laoghaire port on April 2 of the same year (Alleged Or Contested)

Laurence Keane

Convicted Person

Charges: murdering Mr Keane; the murder of Mr Hand, of Mountjoy Square, Dublin 7, on or between August 22 and September 5, 2002, at The Meeting Point pub on Dorset Street Upper; having 980lb of an explosive mixture and devices, with the intent to endanger life or enable another to do so, at Dun Laoghaire port on April 2 of the same year (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Seamus Morgan

Convicted Person

Plea: Not guilty

Outcome: Morgan was sentenced to eight years in July 2005 after a jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of 29-year-old James Hand, who was stabbed to death outside a Dublin pub. Mr Justice Eagar then sentenced Morgan to life imprisonment and backdated it to April 23, 2014.