Stephen Penrose found guilty of murdering Philip Finnegan

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

Stephen Penrose was found guilty of murdering Philip Finnegan at the Central Criminal Court on 15 November 2021. Finnegan’s remains were found in Rahin Woods, near Edenderry, after he disappeared in August 2016. The jury rejected Penrose’s defence and accepted the prosecution case that he killed his friend. Penrose had pleaded not guilty. The verdict followed a five-week trial and was unanimous after five hours and 46 minutes of deliberations.

The court postponed formal sentencing and remanded Penrose in custody until 13 December 2021, when the mandatory life sentence was due to be imposed. The case heard evidence that Penrose’s phone connected to cell sites covering Rahin and Edenderry on the day Finnegan died.