Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Top lawyer charged with Keith’s murder
Angry scenes as man is brought to court accused of gun attack
A LAWYER was remanded in custody yesterday after he was charged with murder.
There were angry scenes as Diarmuid Phelan, 53, was brought to Tallaght District Court where he was accused of killing 36-year-old Keith Conlon.
The deceased, a father-of-four who worked as a horse breeder, was shot at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, on Tuesday afternoon. He was on life support in hospital until he died on Thursday.
Phelan, a senior counsel and law lecturer, was arrested at the scene. He was charged on Thursday at 11.23pm and held pending his court appearance yesterday.
The defendant sat silently as Detective Garda Michael Mcgrath gave the evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
He told Judge Patricia Mcnamara he arrested Phelan “for the offence of murder of Keith Conlon on February 22”. The officer said the station sergeant charged the accused and he was handed a copy of the charge sheet. Det Gda Mcgrath added: “He made no reply to charge after caution.”
The district court does not have the jurisdiction in a murder case to consider bail which requires an application to the High Court. Judge Mcnamara said Phelan would be remanded in custody.
Defence solicitor Eddie O’connor asked for the case to be adjourned until Wednesday. However, the detective asked for it to be put back until next Friday. Judge Mcnamara agreed and remanded Phelan in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on March 4.
Mr O’connor confirmed his client would appear via video link..
At the end of the five-minute hearing, the accused nodded and said, “Thank you judge”, before being escorted from the courtroom.
About 20 minutes later, his departure from the area was highly charged as friends of Mr Conlon waited outside the courthouse.
Gardai were forced to intervene when members of the public hurled abuse and attempted to block and surround a vehicle bringing
the defendant away.