A murder trial jury has heard that a 34-year-old man has admitted strangling his girlfriend at his home in Sligo over a year ago.

Oisin Conroy, with an address at St Joseph’s Terrace, Boyle, Co Roscommon is charged with murdering Natalie McGuinness (23) at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015.

Mr Conroy was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court today and pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity.

Opening the prosecution case to a jury this morning, Ms Tara Burns SC told the court that the defence of insanity was raised in this case ….read more

A 34-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to murdering a woman in Sligo by reason of insanity.

Oisin Conroy with an address at St Joseph’s Terrace, Boyle, Co Roscommon is charged with murdering Natalie McGuinness (23) at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015.

Mr Conroy was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court this morning and pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity.

A jury of six men and six women was sworn in to hear the case, which begins tomorrow and is expected to last up to two days.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy addressed the ….read more

A Central Criminal Court jury has found a 55-year-old man not guilty of impeding a murder investigation after his housemate inflicted “a savage assault” on the victim with an axe.

Aivars Sondors was charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to have unlawfully killed 44-year-old Audrius Butkus.

The particulars included moving the body from a house on Marsh Road in Drogheda and dumping it in the sea at Mornington Beach; cleaning up the scene at Marsh Road and disposing of carpet, clothing, ….read more

The acts of a man charged with impeding a homicide investigation “required effort, concentration and thought” and the issue of duress “does not stack up”, a prosecution barrister has told a trial jury.

Mr Patrick Gageby SC, prosecuting, today gave his closing speech in the trial of Aivars Sondors (55), who is charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to have unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus (44).

The particulars include moving the body from a house on Marsh Road in Drogheda and placing ….read more

A man charged with impeding a homicide investigation has told his trial that he felt “uneasy” telling lies in his garda interviews and “sooner or later” the truth would have surfaced.

The 55-year-old continued to give evidence in his defence today on the fifth day of his Central Criminal Court trial.

Aivars Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to have unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus (44).

The particulars include moving the body from a house on Marsh Road in Drogheda and ….read more

A man charged with impeding a homicide investigation has told his trial that he agreed to help move the victim’s body as he was “terrified” of the killer and thought if he refused he would be the “next victim”.

The 55-year-old was giving evidence in his defence today on the fourth day of his Central Criminal Court trial.

Aivars Sondors is charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to have unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus (44).

The particulars include moving the body from ….read more

(Pictured: Chief State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy. Credit: Collins)

The trial of a man charged with impeding a homicide investigation has heard that the victim died from head injuries consistent with being struck by the blunt end of a hand axe.

Chief State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, today gave evidence in the Central Criminal Court trial of Aivars Sondors.

Mr Sondors (55) is charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to have unlawfully killed Audrius Butkus (44).

The particulars include moving the body from ….read more

The trial of a man charged with impeding a homicide investigation has heard that the killer’s partner and children spent the night in a neighbour’s house shortly before the killing as they were in fear of the killer.

The Central Criminal Court has previously heard that 44-year-old Audrius Butkus died from “a violent and bloody assault” in a house in Louth before his body was dumped at a nearby beach.

Aivars Sondors (55) is charged with three counts of assisting an offender on September 9 or 10 2013 by impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Marius Gaizutis, knowing or believing him to ….read more