Tadgh Butler’s murder conviction appeal allowed

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

The Court of Appeal allowed Tadgh Butler’s appeal against his murder conviction on 3 July 2017. Mr. Justice Mahon delivered the court’s judgment.

Butler had been convicted of murdering Michael O'Dwyer by a Central Criminal Court jury on 15 May 2015. He was sentenced that day to life imprisonment, to date from 9 January 2014.

The trial began on 5 May 2015 and concluded on 14 May 2015. An earlier trial had ended on its second day the previous week, when the jury was discharged after a witness gave evidence of which neither the defence nor the prosecution had received prior notice.

Butler parted company with his legal team on 12 May 2015. His application for an adjournment to engage another team was unsuccessful, and he continued representing himself. He elected not to give evidence, and no witnesses were called on his behalf.

The appeal succeeded solely because the trial judge had not explained that Butler’s revised account of the stabbing could not be considered by the jury without sworn evidence supporting it. The court said reminding him of his entitlement to testify under oath was insufficient. His other appeal grounds challenged the admission of evidence, including a witness statement he argued was unreliable.