Courts / Clare / Report
'Simply no basis' for murderer's claim that his life sentence was overturned
Summary
Raymond Donovan (44), who murdered his ex-girlfriend 21 years ago, had his claim that the Court of Criminal Appeal had substituted his life sentence with a 20-year term dismissed by the High Court. Mr Justice Garrett Simons ruled that Donovan had no basis for his claim and that it caused distress to the victim's family. Donovan, formerly of New Houses, Cooraclare, Co Clare, strangled his former girlfriend, Ann Walsh (23), to death in 2005. He launched a High Court bid for release, claiming the Court of Appeal had substituted his sentence, but no detention warrant proved this. The court found that the Central Criminal Court could not direct any other sentence than the mandatory life imprisonment for murder. Donovan's application was dismissed, and the judge said there was no basis for his claim of legality over his imprisonment. Raymond Donovan was convicted.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Simply no basis' for murderer's claim that his life sentence was overturned. Charges or matters: murder in 2006. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- August 24, 2005 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2006 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-01-19 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Charges: murder in 2006 (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; At his trial, he denied the murder charge but a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Ennis unanimously convicted him before Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced him to the mandatory term of life imprisonment in June 2006. In a High Court application last week, Barry White SC and Patrick O'Sullivan BL, instructed by Daniel Kreith Solicitor, for Donovan, successfully applied to the High Court for permission to inquire into the legality of his detention.
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- Wheatfield Prison
Topics
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