Four charged with impeding grandmother murder probe
FOUR people have been charged with impeding the investigation into the murder of a grandmother whose remains were found scattered over the Wicklow mountains last year.
Patricia O’Connor’s husband, daughter, granddaughter and daughter’s ex-partner appeared before Tallaght District Court in south Dublin yesterday.
The deceased’s husband Augustine O’Connor, 74, of Mill Close, Clasheen, Stamullen, Co. Meath; his daughter Louise O’Connor, 40, of Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1; her ex-partner Keith Johnson, 41, of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght; and Louise O’Connor’s daughter, Stephanie, 20, of The Townhouse Hotel, Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, were all granted bail with conditions.
They were remanded to appear before the court in six weeks for service of books of evidence.
Ms O’Connor, 61, was reported missing on June 2 last year.
On June 10, 2017, two walkers on the Military Road near Enniskerry in Co. Wicklow found human remains and alerted gardaí. A search revealed Ms O’Connor’s remains were scattered over a 30km area in the Wicklow mountains.
Augustine, Louise and Stephanie O’Connor are charged with impeding the apprehension of an investigation of a murder at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, on May 29, 2017. Keith Johnson is charged with impeding the apprehension of an investigation of a murder at Woodie’s DIY in Tallaght and various locations on June 9, 2017.
Detective Sergeant Brian Turner from Greystones Garda Station told Judge Patricia McNamara he arrested Augustine O’Connor at 9.07am yesterday in Tallaght Garda Station. He said Mr O’Connor was later charged with the offence.
The court heard that the other three accused were also arrested between 9am and 10am yesterday at Tallaght station, where they were later charged.
Judge McNamara released each defendant on their own bail of €200 and on condition they surrender their passport, provide a mobile phone number, and sign on three times a week at their local Garda station.