In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, the jury was shown a series of videos on the 33rd day of proceedings. The State presented footage that allegedly depicts a man stabbing women during sex, with blood visible in some clips. The jurors also viewed a self‑made video of Dwyer stabbing himself and another in which he discusses using chloroform on himself. Prior to viewing, the jurors received a warning about the graphic nature of the evidence. Dwyer, aged 42, is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who was last seen in Shanganagh on 22 August 2012 and whose skeletal remains were found at Killakee in September 2013. The trial is proceeding before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The State alleges the stabbing was for sexual gratification. The case continues.
In a Waterford murder trial, a jury heard that a Facebook message allegedly from William Moran (20) claimed he beat Martin Brophy (22) to death with a cinder block and gave him the "American History X job." The prosecution presented testimony from Stephen Dundon, who said he had chatted with Moran on May 20, 2012, about playing PlayStation and an assault. Dundon recalled a message from Moran's Facebook page stating, "I gave that fella an old bad one. Serious he got it haha," and a reply claiming, "I beat him to death a cinder block around 10 times off the head and gave him the American History X job." Dundon also admitted his own Facebook account had been hacked. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
In the second day of Mr Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the jury was warned about graphic evidence. Mr Justice Tony Hunt cautioned them before a document titled "Jenny's First Rape" was read. The document, found on a hard drive seized from Dwyer's home, described a planned rape in Newcastle and included a video clip. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. He pleaded not guilty. Detective Garda Brid Wallace testified that she found a folder with a five‑second video and a five‑page document, E.doc, created on 31 May 2005 by Dwyer's firm A&D Wejchert Architects. The prosecution read the document, which detailed the author's intent to rape a young woman, describing the use of a knife, chloroform and a hunting knife. The trial continues before a jury of five women and seven men. The article does not state any verdict or outcome.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, denied forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to conceal a clerical sex‑abuse investigation. McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, relating to alleged forgery of a DPP letter dated 14 January 2009 that supposedly directed no prosecution in a clerical abuse case. The letter, which McGowan claimed she had forwarded to the DPP for review, was said to have been fabricated by combining parts of other documents. She denied forging the letter, denying any relation to the priest involved and denying that her alleged failure to send a file could have exposed others to abuse. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve.
In a 2015 murder trial, forensic scientist Matthew Greenhalgh testified that a button from Mark Nash's black pin‑striped velvet jacket yielded a negative DNA result when tested in 1998. Nash, 42, is charged with the 1997 murders of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61). The jacket was worn by Nash on the night of the killings. Greenhalgh explained that the DNA test used was Short Tandem Repeat (STR), now superseded, and that the first button was swabbed but produced no DNA profile, so the other buttons and threads were not examined. He noted the items had been removed from their sealed bags, and that the negative result was returned sealed. The testimony was cross‑examined by Hugh Hartnett SC, who questioned the handling of the items. The trial continues. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, Judge Tony Hunt warned the public not to tweet any statements made while the jury was absent, citing restrictions on reporting such discussions until the trial concludes. He noted that a recent tweet by a member of the public had breached these rules, and, though the tweeter was unaware of the regulations, the judge cautioned that a repeat offence could result in jail for contempt. The warning was delivered in the absence of the jury, but both prosecution and defence consented to its reporting. Mr Dwyer, 42, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who was last seen in Shanganagh, South Dublin, on 22 August 2012 and whose skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013. The State alleges Dwyer stabbed her for sexual gratification. The trial proceeds before a jury of five women and seven men.
At the Central Criminal Court, a Garda Chief Superintendent gave evidence regarding the retrieval of clothing from the Dublin home of Mark Nash, aged 42, who stands accused of murdering two women in Grangegorman sheltered accommodation in March 1997. Chief Superintendent Dominic Hayes testified that he obtained a black pin-striped velvet jacket and boots from a flat on Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3, following a statement from a witness in August 1997. The prosecution maintains that DNA evidence subsequently recovered from the jacket provided a breakthrough in the case. Nash has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields, aged 60, and Mary Callanan, aged 61. During cross-examination, defence counsel challenged the seizure of the boots and questioned investigative focus on another suspect. Retired detective exhibits officers confirmed the secure storage and handling of seized items. The trial proceedings continued.
During the 31st day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the court heard that a document titled *Killing Darci*, detailing the rape and killing of a young American woman, was found on Dwyer's hard drive. The file, saved as 4Darci.doc in a folder called DD within Sub, was created on 2 March 2011 and edited for 89 minutes. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. The prosecution read excerpts from the first‑person document, which described fantasising about killing from adolescence, planning a murder, and describing the act in graphic detail. A witness, Darci Day, testified that she had met Dwyer on an adult website and had discussed ending her life with him. The trial also examined phone records linking Dwyer's work phone to the "Master" phone used on the day of O'Hara's death. The jury heard all evidence before the trial continues.
The trial of William Moran, aged 20, accused of murdering 22‑year‑old Martin Brophy at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building between 19 and 21 May 2012, is continuing in legal argument. Moran has pleaded not guilty. The jury will return tomorrow when evidence is due to resume.
At the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan (48), who is based at Bray Garda Station, she has pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery on January 15, 2009 at Bray Garda Station and two counts of using a false instrument at Bray Garda Station and at Harcourt Street Garda Station between June 21 and 22, 2011. The alleged false instrument is a letter from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), dated January 14, 2009, directing that there be no prosecution in the clerical abuse case. Retired Chief Supt Thomas Conway testified that it was not unusual for McGowan not to be asked to report on the progress of the clerical abuse investigation for four years. He stated that a lot of things in relation to the case shocked him, but he did not find it shocking that Detective Sergeant Eamonn O'Neill did not ask about the case. Judge Mary Ellen Ring asked Conway if there was a system for auditing cases dealt with by gardai, to which he said there should be a system, but in this case, it was closed off after the original 2005 investigation and the new case was not recorded in PULSE. The trial continues before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of six men and six women.
In March 2015, lawyers for Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, described the investigation into her alleged forgery of a DPP letter as one "nobody seemed to know anything about." McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, relating to a January 2009 letter and incidents in June 2011. The case was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical sexual abuse, which named a priest involved in McGowan's investigation. During cross‑examination, Detective Sergeant Eamonn O'Neill admitted he had assigned the case to McGowan in March 2007 and had brief interactions with her in July 2007, but claimed he had not followed up on the investigation. O'Neill denied recalling any request for an update. The prosecution presented a covering report dated October 2008, which O'Neill said he had never received. The trial is ongoing before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury.
The trial of Mark Nash, aged 42, accused of murdering Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) in 1997 at a sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, continues in legal argument. Nash pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. The case, involving the murders between March 6 and March 7, 1997, remains pending, with Judge Carroll Moran informing the jury that the legal issues are unresolved and will extend into tomorrow's proceedings.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, was examined by a US witness, Darci Day, who testified that Dwyer had confessed to fantasies of killing O'Hara if she wanted him to. Day, from Maine, said Dwyer had also described a fantasy of stabbing a woman to death during sex. She recounted that she had communicated with Dwyer via email and text, discussing violent and sexual fantasies, including rape and murder. Day also described her own history of depression, suicidal thoughts, and online interactions with Dwyer, noting that she had never met him in person. The trial, which had been proceeding for 29 days, was scheduled to resume with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet announced.
In March 2015, the supervisor of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan denied telling her that she would be "looked after" if she admitted wrongdoing. McGowan, 48, pleaded not guilty to forgery and false instrument charges related to a letter allegedly from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009. The case arose after the Murphy Report on clerical abuse. McGowan had investigated a priest mentioned in the report, and the letter in question was said to question a rape allegation. The supervisor, Detective Inspector Frank Keenaghan, was questioned about a claim that he offered McGowan protection if she confessed. He denied making such a statement, stating he had not used the phrase and had not initially accused McGowan of forgery. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence from a retired detective sergeant regarding the 1997 murders of two women in Grangegorman, Dublin. Mark Nash, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan on 6 and 7 March 1997. Detective Sergeant David Lynch testified about questioning another suspect, Martin Stafford, in relation to the killings. During cross-examination, the defence counsel raised questions about the adequacy of the investigation and whether relevant information about Stafford's movements had been properly pursued. The court also heard evidence concerning Nash's alleged voluntary disclosure to gardaí in Galway on 17 August 1997 regarding crimes committed in Dublin five months earlier. Justice Carroll Moran adjourned proceedings to address a legal issue that emerged during testimony, with the jury directed to return on Wednesday.
During the 29th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, evidence was presented that two Nokia phones found in Vartry Reservoir were used almost exclusively to contact each other. The phones had no other numbers saved and were last used on the day of the alleged murder. Their contacts were labeled MSTR and SLV, the consonants of "Master" and "Slave." The phones were purchased together on 30 November 2011 and were unregistered. Between 1 December 2011 and 22 August 2012, 1,369 texts and 11 calls were exchanged, all unanswered or to voicemail. Five unanswered calls from Ms O'Hara's iPhone were also recorded. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, continues with Mr Dwyer (42) charged with murdering 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. The State alleges he stabbed her for sexual gratification. The case remains in the Central Criminal Court.
During the 28th day of the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, evidence was presented that Graham Dwyer, aged 42, sent 847 text messages to Elaine O'Hara between January 2008 and December 2009, including 53 on a single day. Garda Paul Kane testified that he analysed Dwyer's work‑phone bills and confirmed the volume of messages, though the content remained unknown. A call from Dwyer to O'Hara's message minder was also identified. Additionally, a crime analyst, Sarah Skedd, used toll‑booth and mobile‑tower records to trace a mobile phone and a vehicle, concluding that Dwyer owned the car that travelled from Galway to Dublin on 4 July 2012. The trial also heard from a friend of O'Hara, who described her personal struggles and relationships, and noted that O'Hara was last seen on the evening of 22 August 2012, after being discharged from a mental‑health hospital.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury heard statements from the former partner of Mark Nash, who is charged with the murder of two women in March 1997. Nash, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan between March 6 and 7, 1997. State counsel read two statements from Sarah Jane Doyle, describing how she met Nash in a Dublin nightclub in late March 1997 and subsequently began a relationship with him. The court heard Nash claimed to have family connections in Ballina, County Mayo. The second statement was taken after Doyle received a letter from Nash whilst receiving treatment at Beaumont Hospital, following an assault at a house in Ballintober, County Roscommon on August 16, 1997. A handwriting expert from An Garda Síochána testified that letters attributed to Nash displayed consistent characteristics and were written fluently without hesitation or disguise. The trial continues.
In the Waterford murder trial, a jury heard that Garda Eugene O'Neill photographed a swelling on the accused William Moran's hands, taken the same week the body of Martin Brophy was found. Moran, 20, is charged with Brophy's murder at the old WIT building between 19 and 21 May 2012. He pleaded not guilty and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. O'Neill explained he was asked to photograph Moran's hands after a colleague noticed a swelling, taking two photos on 22 May 2012. Detective Garda Emmett Dunphy confirmed he is a certified XRY operator and examined a sim card belonging to Moran. The jury also heard that items such as a cider bottle wrapper, plastic flaggins and Nike runners were found on New Gate Street and Castle Street between 22 and 25 May. The trial, expected to last three weeks, continues before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of four women and eight men.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument. The alleged false instrument was a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions dated 14 January 2009, which McGowan claimed was a copy she had received and later delivered to the Murphy Tribunal. Detective Inspector Frank Keenaghan, the supervisor, testified that he showed McGowan the letter and asked her to consider its authenticity. McGowan insisted she could not have forged it, and Keenaghan clarified that he was not accusing her of forgery. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring with a jury of twelve, is scheduled to continue for another week.
In a 1997 double murder trial, ex‑partner Lucy Porter testified that Mark Nash, aged 42, was a fantasist who told many lies. Porter, who had moved to Dublin with Nash five months earlier, described living with him and their infant daughter in Prussia Street. She recounted that on the night of March 6, 1997, Nash attended a charity quiz at the GPO, returned with two colleagues, and later went to Eddie Rockets where he was seen with a velvet jacket and black caterpillar boots. Porter noted a change in Nash's behaviour, including increased showering, which she attributed to his sexual activity. She agreed with the defence that Nash was a fantasist. The trial also heard from other witnesses, including Audrey Leonard, and continued cross‑examination of former Garda James McHugh. The proceedings remain ongoing. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court jury heard technical evidence on the 27th day of the trial of Graham Dwyer, who is charged with murdering Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22nd August 2012. Mr Dwyer, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Witnesses including telecommunications engineers provided detailed mobile phone records and data covering periods before and after the alleged offence. The court also heard from a woman who had engaged Mr Dwyer's architectural services in County Galway in 2009, and from witnesses who placed him at various locations during July 2012. A Ballyshannon hotel proprietor testified to his movements that month. The State's case is that the killing occurred hours after Ms O'Hara's discharge from a mental health facility. Her remains were discovered at Killakee in September 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
A forensic expert, Inspector Michael Moore, testified in the trial of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan that the alleged forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions was a 'bad quality photocopied document.' Moore, who has 20 years of experience in the forensic field and has completed training with the US Secret Service and London Metropolitan Police, stated that he was asked to determine if the letter, dated January 14, 2009, was genuine or if it was produced using parts of other documents. He found three different fonts used in the letter, misalignments on the left-hand side, and scan lines suggesting at least two other documents were used to produce it. Moore explained that scan lines or shadow lines indicated a cut document was placed on a photocopier to get an image, and that three documents were used to create the letter. Catherine McGowan pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Mark Nash, 42, who has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) at sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman between March 6 and March 7, 1997, continued at the Central Criminal Court. Defence counsel cross-examined former Assistant Garda Commissioner James McHugh regarding the earlier, withdrawn murder charge against Dean Lyons. Mr. McHugh testified that Lyons made admissions describing the scene, including the entry point and the victims' positions, which he agreed were consistent with the facts. The defence argued that Lyons' description of the carving knife blades found at the scene could not have been more accurate. Mr. McHugh acknowledged that a second admission from Nash caused concern within An Garda Síochána, leading to an investigation into potential contamination. He stated he was satisfied that officers in Galway, where Nash made his admission, did not prompt him, noting that no notes were taken during those interviews. The court heard that both statements could not be true, necessitating a review of the evidence. The trial continues.
In the 27th day of Graham Dwyer's trial, forensic evidence showed his semen and Elaine O'Hara's blood on her mattress, with DNA profiles matching Dwyer in three stains and O'Hara in two. Blood on the mattress and a bean‑bag cover also matched O'Hara. No semen was found on a black dress or inside a gas mask, and a rope from the apartment contained mixed DNA from two people. A spade near O'Hara's remains had no blood or semen, though partial DNA from at least two people was detected. Paint on the spade did not chemically match paint from Dwyer's shed or fence. The trial also heard about mobile phone data and the last sighting of O'Hara on 22 August 2012, with her remains found in Killakee on 13 September 2013. The State alleges Dwyer stabbed O'Hara for sexual gratification.
The trial of Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, is hearing that computers at her station were not used to create a forged letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. The alleged letter, dated 14 January 2009, claimed that a rape allegation was conjecture and could not form the basis of a prosecution. On day four, Detective John Finan of the Computer Crime Unit testified that searches of two hard drives for phrases from the letter yielded no results, and that traces would still be found if the original file had been deleted. Charles Nicholson, who handled filing in 2006, said a note referred to a letter that could not be located in the system.
In the Graham Dwyer trial, a forensic scientist presented evidence that the paint on a spade found near Elaine O'Hara's remains was not a chemical match to paint found in Dwyer's shed. The spade, which Dwyer's wife said she recognised as missing from their garden, was examined for paint, protector and a fence piece from Dwyer's garden. The scientist noted that the paint on the spade appeared as dried‑on droplets and that microscopic examination showed similarities to paint from Kerrymount Close, but chemical composition tests revealed differences, concluding the paints did not match. The evidence was delivered on the 25th day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, with Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old father of three, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital.
During the 25th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, his wife Gemma Dwyer testified that the spade found near Elaine O'Hara's remains was the same spade she had noticed missing from their garden. She described how the spade had been used to clear a neighbour's dog's droppings and had been absent during the summer of 2013, after which she had used a plastic spade. Dwyer also recalled receiving a letter from her husband in which he referred to Ms O'Hara as "that awful girl." She provided details of their life together, including their children, their home in Foxrock, and her husband's interests in model aeroplanes, cars, and computers. The court heard that the spade was a True Temper Homeowner model, forged in Cork before 2009, and that the Gardaí had not taken the spade to the search. The trial continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
Oliver Kierans, a 57-year-old man from Drumbannon, Bailieborough, Cavan, is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, Patricia Kierans, aged 54, which allegedly occurred on September 5th, 2013, at their shared address. Kierans also pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double barrel shotgun and not guilty to possessing the same firearm with intent to endanger life. After deliberating for more than five hours, a jury of five women and seven men returned a unanimous verdict finding Kierans guilty of the charge of unlawful possession of the shotgun. The jury has not yet reached a verdict on the remaining charges, including the murder allegation. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly thanked the jury for their service and instructed them to return the following day to continue their deliberations on the outstanding counts. The matter remains ongoing, with the trial proceeding to a further stage of jury consideration.
During a two‑week trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dated 14 January 2009. The letter was alleged to be a false instrument used to influence a case involving a priest accused of child abuse. On the third day of the trial, DPP officer Henry Matthews testified that he could not locate any case file for the priest in question, despite a request in July 2011 to check the DPP's filing system. Legal secretary Caroline Halstead confirmed that no records of the priest existed between 2005 and 2009 in either manual or computerised filing systems. The complainant had earlier stated that McGowan claimed to have sent a file to the DPP, which was not pursued.
In a 2015 Central Criminal Court hearing, Mark Nash, 42, pleaded not guilty to the 1997 murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan. Nash claimed that a confession he gave to Gardaí in August 1997 was "produced" by other Gardaí at Mill Street Garda Station, not entirely his own words. He later said he never claimed the confession was 100% fabricated. The court heard that Nash had expressed distrust of Gardaí, suggesting that words could be twisted. Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne, who interviewed Nash in 1999, recounted Nash's statements about Garda manipulation. The trial also discussed earlier confessions by Dean Lyons, who was later charged and then had his charge withdrawn. The case remains ongoing.
During a forgery trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, an alleged victim of clerical sexual abuse, a 44‑year‑old woman from Wicklow, testified that she was upset when she learned a file on her case had never been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). She recounted that in the 1980s she was abused by a local curate and that she had met Detective Garda Catherine McGowan in 2005 and again in 2007 to discuss the matter. McGowan had informed her that the DPP had received the file and would not prosecute. The victim said she was shocked, had a breakdown, and considered suicide. In 2011 a special task force discovered the file had not been forwarded to the DPP; it was finally sent in summer 2011, but the DPP directed no prosecution. The trial, presided over by Judge Mary Ellen Ring, continues with a jury of twelve. Catherine McGowan pleaded not guilty.
A jury has begun deliberations in the Central Criminal Court in the trial of Oliver Kierans, aged 57, from Drumbannon, Bailieborough, County Cavan. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans, aged 54, at their home address on 5 September 2013. He also denies unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and possession of the same firearm with intent to endanger life. The trial proceeded today despite the accused's absence due to illness, following his instructions that proceedings continue. Justice Aileen Donnelly outlined to the jury of five women and seven men that they must return unanimous verdicts on all charges, with three possible outcomes for the murder allegation. After deliberating for more than thirty minutes, the jury adjourned to resume consideration of the case tomorrow.
The trial of William Moran, a 20‑year‑old from Waterford, will resume before a jury on Wednesday morning. Moran is charged with the murder of 22‑year‑old Martin Brophy, who died of blunt‑force trauma to the head at the old Waterford Institute of Technology building between 19 and 21 May 2012. He has pleaded not guilty and is being tried at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. Witness testimony last week described the alleged assault: Moran allegedly stamped on Brophy's head, saying "This is out of American History X", and also kicked and dropped a brick on him, causing blood to spatter. The witness, Gavin Walsh, said the incident occurred in a warehouse on Saturday 19 May 2012. The jury, composed of four women and eight men, will return to decide the case. The trial has been in legal argument before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy for several days.
In February 2015, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48 and based at Bray Garda Station, faced trial on charges of forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) related to a priest's sexual abuse investigation. She pleaded not guilty to one count of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument, alleged to involve a letter dated 14 January 2009. Prosecutor Alex Owens argued that McGowan forged the document to mislead Gardaí reviewing her handling of the case, which was prompted by the Murphy Report on clerical abuse. Evidence included a copy of the purported DPP letter, claimed to state that prosecution was impossible due to conjecture in the victim's statement. The trial, set for two weeks, was before Judge Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of twelve.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been presented with a letter of retraction written by Mark Nash, a 42-year-old man from Dublin, who previously gave gardaí a statement admitting responsibility for the 1997 murders of two women in Grangegorman. Nash has pleaded not guilty to the charges concerning the deaths of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan between 6 and 7 March 1997. In the retraction, read to the court by former Assistant Commissioner James McHugh, Nash attributed his knowledge of the crimes to media coverage, teletext reports, and radio accounts. He claimed he had been in mental distress when making his initial August 1997 statement at Mill Street Garda Station in Galway and asserted he had requested legal representation on three occasions during questioning. The trial, with Roscommon connections relating to an earlier assault allegation against Nash, continues.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard evidence on its 22nd day regarding Graham Dwyer, aged 42, who is charged with murdering Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on August 22nd, 2012. Mr Dwyer has pleaded not guilty. A former partner testified that Mr Dwyer had expressed a fantasy involving stabbing during sexual activity and subsequently brought a kitchen knife into their bedroom. She also described receiving a birthday card from Mr Dwyer in November 2014 containing references to forensic evidence and acquittal. Detective Garda Bríd Wallace of the Computer Crime Unit gave evidence regarding examination of Ms O'Hara's laptops, identifying documents concerning methods of killing and online searches for stabbing-related content and specific knives. Email communications and user profiles on websites associated with Mr Dwyer were also discussed. The trial continues before a jury of five women and seven men.
A man from Bailieborough in Cavan has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife at their home in September 2013. Oliver Kierans, aged 57, faces charges of unlawful possession of a shotgun and possession of the same weapon with intent to endanger life. During the Central Criminal Court trial, the couple's son gave evidence, recounting a telephone conversation with his father days before the death of Patricia Kierans, aged 54. In closing speeches, the prosecution argued that the accused's actions following the shooting were inconsistent with accidental discharge, while the defence contended that an accidental discharge could relieve the accused of criminal liability. Justice Aileen Donnelly will charge the jury on Monday.
A man accused of murdering his wife in County Cavan in 2013 has told the Central Criminal Court that her death was accidental. Oliver Kierans, aged 57, from Drumbannon, Bailieboro, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013, as well as charges relating to unlawful possession of a shotgun and intent to endanger life with it. Giving evidence, the accused stated he had shortened the shotgun barrels intending to take his own life after his remaining child emigrated to Australia. He told the jury that on the day in question, his wife discovered the gun and was shot when she attempted to stop him from using it. The prosecution contended the accused had deliberately created the circumstances of the incident and was an angry man at the time. The trial before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly continues.
The trial of Graham Dwyer, who is alleged to have murdered Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on August 22nd, 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital, continued in the Central Criminal Court. Detective Garda Bríd Wallace of the Garda Siochana's Computer Crime Unit testified that she examined Ms O'Hara's Apple laptop as part of the investigation. She found a number of adult pornographic and BDSM movie files, as well as images of mutilated bodies from a website. Additionally, she discovered images of Ms O'Hara, some of which appeared to be self-taken and others taken by a different person. The detective also found documents on the laptop, including a book on serial violence, letters written by Ms O'Hara, and a document titled 'Outline of Slave' which detailed a fictional scenario involving slavery and domination. Another document, titled 'Private,' described a harrowing experience involving torture. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Graham Dwyer has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Brid Wallace has not entered a plea.
At the Central Criminal Court, a retired garda sergeant gave evidence in the trial of Mark Nash, who is accused of murdering two women in sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman, Dublin, in 1997. Sergeant Kevin Duffy, who was member in charge at Mill Street Garda Station in Galway when Nash was arrested in August 1997, testified that he could not recall observing a wound to Nash's face or a laceration to his head at the time of arrest. Under cross-examination, the sergeant was challenged about his failure to note visible injuries despite medical evidence that a doctor had examined Nash and observed a head laceration and facial abrasion. The defence suggested the sergeant was aware Nash had been struck with a baton and was suppressing this fact. The court also heard from a prison officer regarding an incident at Mountjoy Prison in December 1997. The trial, heard at the Central Criminal Court, is expected to continue for approximately three weeks. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
In a 2015 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 44‑year‑old Declan Christie pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a fight on Infirmary Road. Christie, who had 19 prior convictions, stabbed victim Ian Dunne in the lower back with a knife he found at the scene, claiming self‑defence. Garda Jennifer Woods noted that Christie voluntarily turned himself in when authorities sought him. Judge James O'Donohoe sentenced Christie to two years' imprisonment, suspended for three years, and imposed a €100 bond and a good‑behaviour condition.
In a 2015 hearing, a jury heard that Mark Nash, aged 42, gave a written statement to Gardaí on 17 August 1997, admitting he had stabbed two women in a house in Grangegorman, Dublin, five months earlier. Nash described leaving the GPO, drinking at a club, taking a wrong turn to Orchard View, breaking into the house, and using a bread knife to stab a woman in her bedroom and a second woman in another bedroom. He claimed he later regained control, left the house, and returned to his flat where he showered and slept. Nash also provided sketches of the house and a letter to his girlfriend. The statement was read by Detective Garda Gerard Dillon, and the case was presented to the Central Criminal Court, where Nash pleaded not guilty to the double murder of Sylvia Shields (59) and Mary Callanan (61).
During the 20th day of the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, evidence was presented that a text message reading "Must get fit for the murder" was backed up onto Elaine O'Hara's laptop. Computer crime experts examined O'Hara's Apple Mac, which had been synced with an iPhone, and extracted hundreds of SMS messages from a forensic copy of the hard drive. The messages were traced to a number 083 1103474, which was also found in O'Hara's calendar as "Graham's phone number." The jury saw screenshots of messages sent from this number, including one dated March 31 2011 that referenced a child's name, and another from November 15 2011. Additional testimony detailed the purchase of Nokia phones and mobile top‑ups linked to the number, but no definitive link to the murder was established in the court record. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard on Wednesday that a Cavan mother of four died from a shotgun injury to the chest. Patricia Kierans, aged fifty-four, was found dead at her home in Bailieborough on September 6th, 2013. Oliver Kierans, fifty-seven, of Drumbannon in the same locality, has pleaded not guilty to her murder on September 5th, 2013, and to related firearms charges. State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy told the court she observed a single gunshot wound to Ms Kierans's upper right chest, with injuries of such severity that death would have been almost immediate. The wound was consistent with discharge from approximately 1.2 metres distance. Detective Garda evidence included text messages exchanged between the accused's phone and the deceased's phone in the days preceding her death. The trial before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly continued.
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury foreman in the trial of Mark Nash, accused of murdering two women in 1997, was excused from duty after disclosing his intention to sit a garda assessment test. Mr Justice Carroll Moran determined that the foreman's aspiration to join An Garda Síochána presented a perception of bias, particularly given that garda witnesses and their credibility form part of the case. The jury was subsequently reduced from twelve to eleven members, and a replacement foreman was elected. Detective Garda Anthony Reidy, now retired from Mill Street station in Galway, gave evidence concerning interviews conducted with Nash on 16 August 1997. During questioning about an assault in Roscommon, Nash allegedly volunteered an account of stabbing two women in Phibsborough months earlier. The court also heard that Nash subsequently pointed out a house at Orchard View in Grangegorman, which he identified as the location of the alleged murders. The trial continues. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury has been presented with CCTV footage in the trial of Oliver Kierans, aged 57, from Drumbannon, Bailieborough, County Cavan. Mr Kierans has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their home address, and to related firearms charges. Garda Paul Fee gave evidence of surveillance footage showing the movements of both parties in Bailieborough on the date in question, including footage from a public house. Detective Garda Jerome Crawford outlined admissions made by the accused during garda interviews regarding a shotgun and events at a bar. The accused reportedly told gardai the firearm discharged accidentally and that he was in distress following the death of his wife. The trial before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a twelve-member jury continues.
During a Waterford murder trial, 21‑year‑old Gavin Walsh testified that William Moran, the accused, stamped 22‑year‑old Martin Brophy's head with a Timberland boot while shouting "This is out of American History X." Walsh described how Moran had dragged Brophy, kicked and stamped him six or seven times, and then dropped a brick on his head, causing blood to spatter. Walsh said he tried to stop Moran, who pushed him away, and that Moran later threatened to hit Brophy three more times with the brick. Walsh also recounted that Moran called his cousin Ray Connolly, laughed on the phone, and later burned two jackets. The testimony was given before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of four women and eight men. The accused remains on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. William Moran pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin has heard evidence in the trial of Oliver Kierans, aged 57, of Drumbannon in Bailieborough, County Cavan, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Patricia Kierans on 5 September 2013 at their family home. He also denies unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and possession of the firearm with intent to endanger life. Detective Garda Jerome Crawford told the court that during interview on 9 September, the accused stated he had turned the gun on himself for "peace of mind" hours after the fatal shooting. The garda confirmed the accused said the weapon had slipped and fallen while at a public house in Bailieborough that afternoon. When pressed on his state of mind, the accused replied he was hurting and knew his wife was dead. The trial, presided over by Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury, continues.
The trial of Oliver Kierans (57), of Drumbannon Bailieborough in Cavan, continues before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury. Kierans has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of his wife, Patricia Kierans (54), on September 5, 2013, at their home. He also pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double barrel shotgun and not guilty to possessing the same firearm with intent to endanger life. The jury heard evidence from Detective Garda Jim Mathews regarding Kierans' statements in garda interviews. Kierans allegedly stated he took his wife upstairs to show her he intended to end his own life, claiming the gun discharged accidentally, resulting in "blood everywhere." He further alleged he prayed and attempted to close his wife's eyes. Kierans admitted to having consumed alcohol and stated he kept the shotgun under the bed for protection against intrudants. Garda Cathal Buggy testified that Kierans appeared distressed in Cavan General Hospital, asking why he had not taken his own life. Kierans allegedly told Garda Buggy the incident followed an argument over a non-existent affair. The court heard Kierans had hoped to "finish things" at a pub prior to the incident. The trial is ongoing and was not adjourned or finalised at the time of this report.