Kieran Greene pleads not guilty to Patricia O’Connor murder

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

Kieran Greene pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia O’Connor. The charge relates to her death at her Rathfarnham home on 29 May 2017.

The proceedings were reported on 15 January 2020. Roisin Lacey SC opened the prosecution case at the Central Criminal Court that day.

Louise O’Connor pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O’Connor disguising herself as Patricia O’Connor on 29 May 2017 to conceal her death. Stephanie O’Connor pleaded not guilty to the alleged disguise.

Keith Johnston pleaded not guilty to assisting Greene in buying implements on 9 June 2017 that were allegedly intended to conceal the remains. He also denied refurbishing a bathroom between 31 May and 9 June 2017 to destroy or conceal evidence of the alleged murder.

Lacey said Patricia O’Connor’s remains were found in 15 parts at nine locations in the Dublin mountains between 10 and 14 June 2017. She said Greene had told gardaí he killed O’Connor after she struck him with a hurley, and initially said he had acted alone.

Lacey said Greene later told gardaí that O’Connor’s husband, Gus O’Connor, had struck and killed her with a crowbar and that Greene had taken the blame. She said he also claimed Johnston dismembered the body and that others had set him up.

The trial was continuing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. It was expected to last between five and seven weeks.