A 28 year old man has admitted to killing an 11 year old boy in the South-West of the country in November 2019. The man cannot be named for legal reasons.
He was brought before the Central Criminal Court, where he admitted to the murder via video-link from prison.
Prosecution counsel, Michael Delaney SC said during the hearing that the murdered boy was a minor and therefore could not be named.
This was made under Section 252 of the Children Act 2001. This act prohibits the identity of underage victims. It also makes it an offence to publish anything that could identify a child who is an alleged victim of an offence. This includes a deceased child.
“family relationship” between man and 11 year old
Mr Delaney also said that a “family relationship” existed between the boy and his killer. As a result of this, he argued that the accused could not be named in the context of the location of the offence.
Subsequently, Mr Justice White stated that the identity of the accused and the victim were not to be reported until further order of the court as the victim was a child. It was also because there was a “clear relationship” between the alleged killer and victim.
The man was remanded in custody until February 1. The judge also ordered for the preparation of a victim report.
It is expected that the 28 year old man will be handed a mandatory term of life imprisonment.
Elsewhere:
Elsewhere, a woman was arrested and charged for attacking a shop owner in County Sligo at the weekend. An altercation broke out over the woman’s refusal to wear a face mask.
Having entered the premises without wearing a mask, the woman was spoken to by the owner. This led to a row breaking out.
The shop owner was taken to Sligo University Hospital, with non-life threatening injuries. The woman was taken to Ballymote Garda Station.
