O’Reilly lodges grounds for appeal

ELEVEN grounds of appeal have been lodged by Joe O’Reilly against his conviction for the murder of his wife Rachel at their home in Co Dublin. He claims the trial was unsatisfactory and his conviction “unsafe”.

It is believed O’Reilly will contend the evidence was insufficient to allow more than a suspicion of guilt and the trial judge should have directed the jury to enter a not guilty verdict. An appeal date has yet to be set.

O’Reilly, 35, Lambay View, Baldarragh, The Naul, was convicted unanimously by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in July last of the murder of his 30-year-old wife at their home on October 4, 2004. The couple had two children. O’Reilly had denied the murder.

He was jailed for life by Mr Justice Barry White and lodged an appeal against conviction and sentence in August last.

O’Reilly’s grounds of appeal were lodged with the Court of Criminal Appeal this week and are believed to include:

* Arguments that data relating to the location of O’Reilly’s mobile phone on the date of his wife’s murder should not have gone before the jury.

* That oral and written statements made by him to gardaí were made in circumstances which breached his rights.

* That an oral statement by him to gardaí on the day of the murder should have been excluded because at that time he was not cautioned and was likely to be a suspect.

* That a witness statement by him on October 6, 2004, should have been excluded because he was a suspect at the time.

* Claims that an analysis of CCTV footage about movements of cars on the date of the murder should not have been allowed.

* That the jury should not have heard evidence he had spent the night with Ms Nikki Pelley after a Late Late Show appearance concerning the murder.

* That evidence of emails from a computer alleged to be O’Reilly’s should have been excluded because their prejudicial value outweighed their evidential value.