A young member of the travelling community has been found NOT GUILTY of murder in what was the first murder case to be defended under new homeowner laws introduced in 2011.
Martin Keenan and his wife returned to their mobile home at St Joseph’s Park halting site, Dunsink Lane, Finglas on the night of June 5th, 2016 to find Wesley Mooney and his girlfriend inside.
The then 18-year-old told Gardaí that he got a fright and described Mr. Mooney as a junkie.
He said Mr. Mooney ran at him so he picked up something and hit him with it. But the deceased’s girlfriend said the couple were leaving when the accused stuck something into Mr. Mooney.
Mr. Mooney was stabbed twice with half a garden shears and died at the scene. The jury decided Martin Keenan was NOT guilty. He began to cry upon hearing the verdict.
The decision was delivered to a semi-empty courtroom after it was cleared when two jurors said a member of the public had approached them during their deliberations, although not in a threatening way.
