Roy Webster jailed for murder of Anne Shortall

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

Roy Webster was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment for the murder of Anne Shortall in Wicklow. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the sentence after a jury found Webster guilty by a unanimous verdict. The proceedings were reported on 24 March 2017.

Webster had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder, saying he had not intended to kill her.

Webster told gardaí he met Shortall on 3 April 2015 to get proof that she was pregnant and then intended to get money for her. He said she had asked him for £6,500 for an abortion. The court heard that she brought no proof; jurors were told she was not pregnant and knew that.

Webster said he hit her on the head with a hammer after she stormed out of his van and hit her again after she said she would ruin him. The court heard she had been struck nine times and that he wrapped her head and hands in duct tape. The State Pathologist could not determine whether she was dead or alive when the tape was wrapped around her head.

Webster told gardaí he had snapped because Shortall had him backed against a wall and was going to ruin him and his family. His lawyers said he had lost control and asked the jury to consider provocation.

His sentence was backdated to 7 April 2015, when he first went into custody.