Ross Outram pleads not guilty to Paddy Lyons murder

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

Ross Outram has pleaded not guilty to murdering Paddy Lyons at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, County Waterford, at a time unknown between 23 and 26 February 2017. The proceedings were reported on 6 March 2019. His trial continued at the Central Criminal Court that day.

In closing submissions, defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC argued that Mr Lyons was alive and mobile when Mr Outram left the house. He said a later fall, rather than the earlier injuries, caused Mr Lyons’s death, but added that the more likely reason for the fall was that Mr Lyons was concussed or had a head injury that caused him to lose his balance.

Counsel submitted that the jury could consider an assault-causing-harm verdict if causation was not established. Mr Justice Paul Coffey was due to continue charging the jury that afternoon.