Marius Gaizutis loses appeal against murder conviction

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

Marius Gaizutis had his appeal against a murder conviction dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 27 April 2020.

He had been convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury on 1 May 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment on 20 May 2015.

The appeal argued that the trial judge should have directed the jury towards a manslaughter verdict and that the trial was unfair. The Court of Appeal found a prima facie case of murder, held that provocation was for the jury to assess, and found no basis to regard the trial or verdict as unsafe.

The judgment records that Audrius Butkus was found dead at Mornington Beach, County Meath, on 10 September 2013, with severe head injuries.