Man leaves court with his head high and his name cleared after 38 years
There were emotional scenes in the Court of Criminal Appeal as presiding judge, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman announced the decision of the three-judge court to quash the conviction.
Mr Conmey, 59, of Porterstown Lane, Ratoath, Co Meath, was found guilty in July 1972 of the manslaughter of Una Lynskey a few months earlier and served a three- year prison sentence.
Yesterday’s decision was greeted with cries of joy and a short round of applause from the large group of family and friends who had accompanied the applicant to court.
Sitting to the side of the courtroom, Mr Conmey struggled to take in the import of the ruling and appeared stunned by the occasion as his wife, Ann, and son, Ray, rushed to embrace him.
While the original crime and subsequent trial have largely been forgotten by most people, it was clear from the relief of the Conmey family at the decision that the injustice had remained a constant thorn in their lives.
Outside the courtroom, a clearly delighted Mr Conmey admitted he was shocked and very emotional at the outcome.
“It’s hard to describe how I feel,” he said.
Mr Conmey admitted the years since his conviction for Ms Lynskey’s death had been “hell”.
He said he felt overwhelmed for his family, particularly his ageing mother, Eileen, who had attended the appeal hearing earlier this year despite being in her mid-80s and who was unable to be in court yesterday.
“I’m just so delighted that the court has come to this decision and they’ve seen justice at last and seen that there was a wrong done to me,” said Mr Conmey as he struggled to hold back tears.
He claimed the quashing of the manslaughter conviction had partially restored his faith in the justice system which had been absent over the intervening decades, although he had not been confident that the conviction would be overturned.
“I’ve been innocent and I’ve suffered all these years for something I’ve never done,” said Mr Conmey. He thanked all those who had supported him down through the years, including his solicitor, Deirdre Moran.
Sobbing openly, Padraig Gaughan, a first cousin of the victim and a brother-in- law of Mr Conmey, criticised the gardaí who conducted the murder inquiry 38 years ago.
“They didn’t investigate the case properly and they destroyed families over this,” said Mr Gaughan. “They hounded three young men for years.”
His wife, Mary, expressed regret that Una had not been given justice as her real killer had never been found.
Ms Gaughan held out a photo-fit of a man who had been seen by at least five witnesses driving a Ford Zodiac at the spot where Ms Lynskey went missing but who was never traced.
“This man could have been found within a week,” she said.
The Court of Criminal Appeal ruling said the case showed that there may have been a miscarriage of justice against Mr Conmey. It now remains open to him to seek a certificate to declare such a miscarriage which would clear the way for him to seek compensation from the state.
While uncertain about what action he would take next, Mr Conmey said his immediate priority was to “enjoy life”.
