EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jonathan Byrne from Clonsilla in west Dublin has been charged with the murder of schoolgirl Michaela Davis.
Byrne was charged with murdering the 12-year-old in Porterstown, where Michaela lived, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The brief hearing in the Dublin District Court before Judge Patrick Clyne, heard Byrne made no reply when he was charged at Blanchardstown Garda Station with Michaela’s murder.
He was remanded in custody in Cloverhill and will next appear before the court on the morning of September 3.
Dressed in a grey hoodie bearing the brand name CS55, and jeans and white trainers, Byrne gave a brief wave as he was led from court.
Earlier, Det Sgt Daniel Callaghan of Blanchardstown Station told the court he had arrested Byrne at the station at 11.30pm on Sunday night.
Det Sgt Callaghan said he was also present when Byrne was charged by another garda, Sgt Joe Delaney, with Michaela’s murder and added: "He made no reply to the charge."
Through his solicitor Eugene Dunne, Byrne, who lives at 24 Lahunda Downs, Clonsilla, applied for and was granted legal aid and medical attention.
Michaela, 12, went missing from her home in the Village estate in Porterstown on Saturday, after telling her parents she was going out for a short while just after midnight.
Her parents contacted gardaí at 2.20am on Saturday morning after she failed to return and her friends were immediately contacted in a bid to trace her.
Her partially clothed body was found at around 4pm on Saturday in undergrowth next to a walkway running parallel to the Royal Canal and the commuter rail line.
The results of a postmortem conducted by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy on Sunday have not been released, but it is understood she was assaulted and strangled.
Michaela was due back at school this week having started at Luttrellstown Community College last week.
Meanwhile, counsellors and psychologists were on hand at the Luttrelstown school to help shocked pupils and teachers come to terms with the young girl’s death.
"The children are our priority," said principal Fionnuala Ní Chaisil.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family," said Ms Ní Chaisil.
A short service in memory of Michaela was held in the school at lunchtime.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, August 31, 2010
