Sentencing adjourned on contempt charges in Keane murder trial
A Circuit Court judge has adjourned sentencing for the weekend in the case of two people charged in connection with the collapse of a high profile murder trial.
A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of one of the two accused on Thursday, after he failed to show up for the sentencing hearing.
David Murphy, (aged 20), of Lee Estate, Limerick, explained to the court today that he could not appear in court on Thursday as he was attending his grandmother's funeral.
The 20-year-old has pleaded guilty to to a charge of contempt of court at the Liam Keane murder trial in October 2003 at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
A second accused, Amanda McNamara, (aged 22), formerly of Lee Estate, Limerick, will also be sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to committing perjury at the same trial.
The murder trial collapsed after a number of other people including the two accused denied making statements identifying Mr Keane as the killer of 19-year-old Eric Leamy.
Mr Leamy died on August 28, 2001, after he suffered a fatal stab wound to his side.
Following the collapse of the trial, Mr Keane infamously gave a two-fingered salute to the assembled media outside the court.
Defence counsel Mark Nicholas (BL) today described Mr Keane's sneer at the justice system as an "apalling gesture" but added that his client, David Murphy, could not be blamed for the collapse of the trial.
Mr Nicholas told the court that his client had said to gardaí that he'd rather do six months in jail than give evidence in court.
"I can come out of prison but I can't come out of a box," Mr Murphy said.
Counsel for Amanda McNamara, John Edwards, (SC), said his client was in fear for herself and her family and that specific threats had been made to her family.
The young mother, he added, has never been in trouble before and acted for "self serving reasons rather than personal gain".
Mr Edwards said that he understood the court needed to send out a message of deterrent, but asked that his client not be used as a vehicle for this.
Judge Moran said he needed time to consider the matters before him and adjourned sentencing until Monday.
