Main suspect in women’s murder refuses to attend inquest

THE prime suspect for the murder of two female patients in the grounds of a Dublin psychiatric hospital in 1997 has refused to attend an inquest into their deaths.

Englishman, Mark Nash yesterday informed the Governor of Arbour Hill Prison, Tom Somers he would not comply with a witness summons to attend Dublin Coroner’s Court this morning.

Nash was issued with an order by the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell to give evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Mary Callinan, 61 and Sylvia Shields, 57.

Last night, a Prison’s Service spokesperson said the Arbour Hill authorities could only produce Nash in court on production of a High Court order.

Nash, originally from Huddersfield, is already serving a life sentence for the double murder of his girlfriend’s sister, Catherine Doyle and her husband, Carl in Roscommon in August, 1997.

It is understood Dr Farrell, will adjourn this morning’s coroner’s court hearing after taking evidence from other witnesses. He will then begin proceedings in the High Court to compel Nash to attend the inquest.

The circumstances surrounding the violent deaths of Ms Callinan and Ms Shields in their sheltered accommodation in Grangegorman in March, 1997 is one of the most bizarre episodes in recent criminal history.

During the investigation into the murder of the Doyles, Nash revealed details about the Grangegorman killings which gardaí believed could only have been known to the actual attacker. However, he later retracted the statement, although a file on the case still remains with the DPP.

Questions have also been raised about the conduct of the Garda investigation in the murder of the two women after another man was falsely accused of the crime.

Dean Reynolds, a heroin addict from Tallaght, confessed to the killings in Garda custody, although all charges were later withdrawn after detectives accepted he had no role in the Grangegorman murders. He subsequently died in an English prison in 2000.