Danny Keena pleads not guilty to murder of Brigid Maguire

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

Danny Keena pleaded not guilty to the murder of Brigid Maguire and guilty to her manslaughter. The proceedings were reported on 4 October 2017.

Keena, of Empor, Ballynacargy, Co Westmeath, is charged with murdering Maguire by strangling her at Main Street, Ballynacargy, on 14 November 2015. The trial continued before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury at the Central Criminal Court.

Sgt Brian Willoughby told the court that Keena had said he went to Maguire’s new home to discuss their son’s education, but they argued. Keena said Maguire came at him violently with her hands towards his face and that he put his hands out to block her.

Keena said his hands were on her shoulders before he moved them to her neck. Willoughby said Keena demonstrated on a garda how he had held her and described what he was doing as choking her. Keena said he had not meant to kill her.