Student charged with Robert’s murder

AN engineering student was yesterday charged with the murder of his 11-year-old next door neighbour.

On the direction of the Director of Public Prosecution, Wayne O’Donoghue was charged with the murder of schoolboy Robert Holohan on January 4 last at Ballyedmond, Midleton, Co Cork.

He was charged at Midleton Garda Station at 9.55am and just over half an hour later appeared in the adjoining court where evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Sergeant Joe O’Connor.

The sergeant told Judge Michael Pattwell that, when asked if he wanted to make any comment about the charge, Mr O’Donoghue said “no thanks”.

Superintendent Liam Hayes asked that a previous charge of manslaughter against O’Donoghue be withdrawn and Judge Pattwell said he would strike it out.

O’Donoghue’s solicitor, Frank Buttimer, applied for legal aid on behalf of his client who is a student at Cork Institute of Technology. After being presented with a statement of the young man’s means, the judge granted the application.

He then directed that O’Donoghue be returned for trial at the Central Criminal Court on April 28 at 10.30am. He remanded him in custody at the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.

Robert Holohan’s parents, Mark and Majella, were in court for the 20-minute hearing as was O’Donoghue’s father, Ray.

Superintendent Hayes informed Judge Pattwell that the DPP had requested him to warn the media on what might be reported.

The judge said he believed some media reporting on the case might have been in breach of Section 4 (J) of the Criminal Justice Act and cautioned reporters to be mindful of it.

Robert Holohan disappeared from his home in Ballyedmond, Midleton, on January 4 last. His body was found eight days later, 11 miles away at Inch Strand.