SHANE MURDER ACCUSED CLAIMED ‘SELF-DEFENCE’
43-year-old in court over body find in house
A MAN accused of murdering Shane Knott told gardai it was “selfdefence”, a court heard yesterday.
Padraig Delaney, 43, was arrested by gardai probing the death of Mr Knott whose body was found at a property on Sunday afternoon.
Delaney, of Eustace Demesne in Naas, Co Kildare, appeared before the town’s District Court yesterday morning.
Detective Sergeant Enda Gallagher gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution during the hearing.
Det Sgt Gallagher said a person went to a Garda station on April 14 to express concern that “there may be a body at that address”. When gardai turned up, they discovered the remains of 37-yearold Dubliner Mr Knott. The court was told that following a postmortem gardai confirmed he had died violently.
Det Sgt Gallagher told how the accused was arrested on Sunday night. He charged the accused on Monday and in reply, he said that “it was self-defence”.
Det Sgt Gallagher said the accused was charged with the murder of Mr Knott on a date unknown between April 3 and 14. Delaney did not speak during the hearing. Tim Kennelly, who represented the defendant, made a request for free legal aid and medical assessment which was granted.
Mr Kennelly also made an application for a second independent postmortem to take place and also wanted legal aid for an independent examination of the crime scene.
The hearing was adjourned and when it resumed, Inspector Paul Reilly told the court the State had no objection to the applications.
Judge Desmond Zaidan said he would have refused both applications because the details provided were “scant and general” but granted them after learning the DPP was not opposed.
The accused was remanded in custody to appear in court again tomorrow.