Daniel Whelan jailed for murdering Samantha Walsh

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Daniel Whelan was sentenced to life in jail for murdering Samantha Walsh at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 5 October 2018. Walsh’s body was found in an apartment at Thomas Court, Thomas Street, Waterford, on 28 April 2017, after she was beaten to death.

Whelan pleaded guilty to murder on 2 October 2018, avoiding a trial. The court heard that he and Walsh had met at a drug and alcohol treatment centre before moving into a squat together in Waterford.

Mr Justice Michael White imposed the mandatory life sentence and said Whelan’s guilty plea had spared Walsh’s family the further hurt of a trial.