Murder & rape trials to start
Parents tell of devastation after brothers die in scuba diving accident at quarry It’s of some comfort that they were with each other
MURDER and rape trials will be listed for hearing next month in a bid to clear the lockdown backlog, a High Court judge said yesterday.
All new jury cases were effectively suspended after the virus restrictions were introduced in March.
Justice Paul Mcdermott told the Central Criminal Court the trials will take place from August 31.
He added a lot of work had been done to ensure social distancing and the addition of screens.
THE heartbroken family of two brothers who died in a scuba diving tragedy have told how they can’t believe they are gone.
Fergus, 42, and 34-year-old Philip Brophy lost their lives during the accident at a 40m-deep quarry in Co Tipperary on Sunday morning. The Co Laois pair’s elderly parents spoke briefly to reporters as they struggled to come to terms with the deaths.
Dad Seamus told independent.ie: “We don’t know what happened yet, it seems one went to help the other.
“They were great lads. They were never any bother. It’s of some comfort that they were with each other when this happened.”
Their mother Dinah added: “We got the call from the gardai yesterday. We were out at the time. We got an awful shock.
“They were both very experienced divers and had dived at that location for many years.”
Fergus’ wife Michelle was also left heartbroken by the tragedy. The Brophys are well known and hugely respected around Lough and the nearby towns of Ballybrittas and Portarlington.
Fr Tom Dooley visited the “devastated” family after news of the accident broke on Sunday.
He said: “It is a terrible tragedy for the mother and father, and brothers and sisters and for one of the lad’s wives.
“They were very much part of the community. They were grand fellas, very much part of the whole thing. Diving was their thing.”
LOCKDOWN
Gardai and the Health and Safety Authority are probing the incident at Portroe Diving Club, which is used by sub-aqua clubs and the Garda underwater unit for training.
Fergus and Philip were among the first to visit the facility when it reopened on Sunday after being shut for the lockdown.
It’s understood they were trying out an underwater scooter when one of the brothers got into difficulty shortly before 1.30pm. It is believed the other went to help.
It is reported Fergus managed to get back to the surface but lost consciousness and tragically died.
Philip’s body was recovered by search and rescue teams within minutes at a depth of close to 30m.
Fergus lived near his parents’ farm in Ballybrittas and worked as an engineer for Vodafone in Dublin, with Philip also an employee.
The pair are also survived by siblings James, Patrick and Emma.
James spoke of their love for scuba diving after Fergus got hooked on it in Cyprus in 2003.
He said: “Fergus loved it, it left an impression on him and he got the bug for it.”
Postmortems were being carried out yesterday at a hospital in Limerick.
SEAMUS BROPHY YESTERDAY