State witness for Keane trial pleads guilty to perjury

THE collapsed Limerick murder trial which sparked national outrage two years ago was recalled yesterday when one key State witness pleaded guilty to perjury.

Liam Keane, now aged 23, laughed at photographers and gave a two-fingered salute as he walked free from the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on November 3, 2003 after his trial on a charge of murder collapsed. In the witness box at the time six state witnesses refused to back up statements they gave to gardaí. A seventh state witness refused to give evidence.

Keane, who is a member of a well-known Limerick criminal family, of Singland Gardens, Ballysimon, Limerick had denied the murder of Eric Leamy, aged 18 at St Mary's Park, Limerick on the night of August 27/26, 2001.