Man charged with Melanie murder
One of two men arrested over the gun killing of teenage traveller Melanie McCarthy-McNamara has been charged with her murder.
Keith Hall, 23, of Kilmartin Drive, Tallaght, Dublin, is accused of shooting dead the 16-year-old almost a fortnight ago in a drive-by attack.
He was also charged with possession of a double barrel, sawn-off shotgun with intent to commit an indictable offence.
There were angry scenes as Hall’s brief hearing drew to a close.
Inside the court, there were chants from some of Melanie’s relatives including the “dirty bastard rat”, “may you rot” and “you killed my daughter-in-law” as Hall was led away.
Tallaght District Court heard the accused made no reply when charged by Det Garda Michael McGrath at Rathfarham garda station at 3.06pm today.
The accused appeared in court dressed in grey tracksuit bottoms and dark hooded top.
He was remanded in custody for a week to Cloverhill court.
A 17-year-old male, who was also being questioned in connection with the murder investigation, was brought before the court on separate charges including drugs and guns offences.
The youth, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty at a previous court hearing to unconnected charges of possession of heroin. He is due to be sentenced next week.
The teenager, who has also been remanded in custody, faced further charges at the evening court sitting of possession of a shotgun and possession of shotgun cartridges.
Melanie was shot dead on February 7 in a housing estate in Tallaght in an indiscriminate drive-by attack as she sat in the back seat of a car with her boyfriend and another man.
It is believed her boyfriend was the intended target.
The young traveller girl was laid to rest after a funeral service in north London last Friday.
