Kenneth Cummins and Sabrina Cummins stand trial for murder

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

Kenneth Cummins and Sabrina Cummins are on trial for murder at the Central Criminal Court. Both have pleaded not guilty.

The proceedings were reported on 19 November 2015, the update date displayed on the RTÉ report.

The brother and sister, aged 28 and 37 respectively, from Ringsend Park, Dublin 4, are accused of murdering Thomas Horan, 63, at his home at Cambridge Court, Ringsend, Dublin 4, on 6 January 2014.

Opening the prosecution case, senior counsel Remy Farrell said the pair had visited the apartment intending to rob Thomas Horan. The prosecution alleged they then decided to kill him and took steps afterwards to cover their tracks.

Remy Farrell said the jury would hear evidence of a severe beating, a belt placed around Thomas Horan’s neck, a bag over his head and attempts to poison him by forcing cleaning fluid down his throat.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the jury that Kenneth Cummins had voluntarily chosen not to attend court during the trial. He remained within the court precincts, was available if needed and could change his decision. The judge said jurors should draw absolutely no adverse inference from his absence and that his lawyers could conduct the case on his behalf.

The trial was expected to last up to five weeks.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.