Shannon accused of aiding mother’s killer

The teenage daughter of an Irishwoman murdered in Turkey was herself accused of aiding in the killing during a court session yesterday.

Necmettin Cetin, a defence witness and brother of accused murderer Recep Cetin, claimed then 15-year-old Shannon Graham helped in the double murder of her mother Marion Graham and her friend Cathy Dinsmore.

He told judges at the High Criminal Court in Izmir, Turkey, that Marion Graham had debts with people locally and they were linked to the murder — and Shannon’s involvement.

However, the lawyer representing the Graham and Dinsmore families, Baris Kaska, quashed the claims, stating: “We do not take these accusations by Necmettin Cetin seriously and I don’t think the court did either.

“Shannon is aware that he accused her of taking part but she does not take this as a serious accusation.

“There were no details in the allegation and I think it was a tactic to complicate the case and take the focus away from the accused.

“I’ve seen this happen before. It was obviously a tough and very tiring day for the family.”

In another blow to the families of the victims, who travelled from Ireland for the hearing, Mr Cetin did not appear in court for the preliminary hearing due to an administrative error.

Recep Cetin, aged 22, and his father Eyup Cetin, aged 43, are both accused of killing the middle-aged Irish nationals.

Eyup Cetin denied a charge of murder. The case has been adjourned until Sept 14 for examination of records of defendants’ phone exchanges between Jul 18 and Aug 16 last year.

Reporters in Turkey said Shannon Graham, now aged 17, told judges Recep Cetin and her mother “got on like a house on fire” when she took the stand.

Ms Graham denied Recep Cetin had proposed to her or that they had plans to live in Ireland together. She said he wanted her to live in Turkey with him but she had resisted the offer.

Ms Graham told judges she first met Eyup Cetin when he came to the Grahams’ holiday home in Kusadasi with his son.

Eyup Cetin visited the home several times but they did not talk often because he did not speak English.

Ms Graham said Eyup Cetin had known the other victim, Ms Dinsmore, for more than a year. She confirmed there was no romantic relationship between him and her mother.

She claimed Recep and Eyup Cetin had killed her mother and Ms Dinsmore.

Ms Dinsmore’s brother George also spoke at the trial. He said he did not believe Recep Cetin was the only person involved in murder and insisted any release of Eyup Cetin would be a potential threat to the public due to brutal murder committed.

Eyup Cetin was questioned about inconsistencies in his statement to police. He explained he was illiterate and the inconsistency between DNA evidence showing his son’s age to be 22 rather than 17 as he had previously stated was due to a delay in registering his son’s birth.

Eyup Cetin admitted knowing Marion Graham, despite stating previously to police that he knew neither of the women.

When asked how he became aware of the murder, Mr Cetin said he found out from the police after he was questioned by them. He denied having discussed the murders with his son when he visited him in custody.

Recep Cetin has confessed to the murders but there has been speculation in the Turkish media that he will deny his father’s involvement.

The victims, from Newry in Northern Ireland, were stabbed to death and their bodies found in woodlands near Izmir, almost 100km north of their holiday apartment in the Kusadasi district, on Aug 19 last year.

It is alleged by prosecutors that Recep Cetin killed the pair after they confronted him about the relationship with Shannon Graham .

He claimed he killed the women after they refused to allow him to marry Ms Graham.