Thomas O’Connor’s murder conviction quashed and retrial ordered

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

Thomas O’Connor had his murder conviction quashed and a retrial ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal, reported on 24 November 2014. The conviction related to the death of John O’Brien at Farrankelly Road, Delgany, Co Wicklow, on 5 June 2010. O’Connor had been convicted at the Central Criminal Court in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The appeal concerned whether the defence of self-defence should have been left to the jury. The court found there was a sufficient case for that defence to be considered and ordered a retrial.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.