Martin Kelly’s murder conviction upheld by Court of Appeal

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

Martin Kelly had his murder conviction upheld by the Court of Appeal on 21 December 2016, after an appeal against his conviction for Andrew Burns’s murder. Burns was shot in the back at a church car park in Donnyloop, Castlefin, Co Donegal, in 2008. Kelly had driven Burns to the location for what he believed would be a punishment shooting, but the court found that this did not amount to a fundamental departure relieving him of responsibility. The court held that intending serious injury was sufficient for murder where death resulted. Kelly’s appeal was dismissed, although his lawyers indicated that a further appeal to the Supreme Court was being considered.