Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly convicted of Peter Butterly murder

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

Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly have been found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of murdering dissident republican Peter Butterly. Edward McGrath was also convicted of firearms offences.

Both men had denied the murder. The proceedings were reported on 9 March 2017.

Peter Butterly, 35, was shot dead on 6 March 2013 outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath. The court described the killing as an “ambush”.

Presiding judge Justice Tony Hunt remanded Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly in custody until April, when they were due to be sentenced.

Four men were originally charged with the murder. David Cullen subsequently became a State witness and his murder charge was dropped.

Dean Evans, 24, of Grange Park Rise, Raheny, Dublin, failed to attend the trial and had not been located by gardai, the report said.

This was the second trial of Edward McGrath and Sharif Kelly. Their first trial collapsed in January 2015 after 55 days.