Kearny murder appeal to be heard later this year
An appeal brought by Brian Kearney against his conviction for the murder of his wife Siobhán at their family home will be heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal later this year.
Last March Kearney was found guilty of murdering his wife and the mother of their young son at the family's home at Carnroe, Knocknashee, Goatstown, Dublin, on February 28, 2006 - his 49th birthday. Kearney had denied the charge.
Today at the CCA Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman was told that Kearney's appeal is not yet ready to proceed.
The case will be mentioned before the court at a case management list later during the current legal term with a view to fixing a date for the hearing of the appeal.
Following a 13-day trial Kearney, (aged 51), was found guilty of his 38-year-old wife's murder by a majority jury verdict of 11 to one after five hours and 24 minutes of deliberation in the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Justice Barry White imposed the mandatory life sentence on Kearney.
During the trial the prosecution argued that a separation and Siobhán's plans to move into the new home they had built did not fit the father of two's financial plans.
The court heard that Kearney strangled his wife in her room, then used a Dyson vacuum cleaner flex as a ligature before trying to hoist her over the en-suite door in her bedroom in an attempt to make it look like a suicide.
The court also heard that Siobhán was filing for a divorce and had sought solicitors' advice.
The defence maintained Siobhán committed suicide and the couple's separation was amicable.
