Danny Keena on trial for murder of Brigid Maguire

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

Danny Keena was on trial for the murder of Brigid Maguire at her home on Main Street, Ballynacargy, on 14 November 2015. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The proceedings were reported on 5 October 2017.

In his closing speech, Remy Farrell SC, prosecuting, argued that the case was not one of provocation. He recalled evidence from Keena’s children and niece that Keena had previously threatened to kill Ms Maguire. The trial heard that Keena had previously strangled her to the point of dizziness.

Colm Smyth SC, defending, argued that provocation should apply. He asked the jury to consider that the couple had separated and Keena found it difficult to be away from his children. Mr Smyth said Keena had gone to the house to discuss their son’s absence from school and maintained that Ms Maguire had said he was no good as a father, which deeply hurt him. Counsel argued that past abuse did not prevent Keena from relying on provocation.

The couple’s teenage son testified by video link that his father had threatened to kill his mother. He recalled his father threatening her with a hammer and then getting a poker. The trial continued before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of seven men and five women.