‘Absurd’ delay in appeal of man jailed for crime that happened when he was abroad

The head of the Irish Innocence Project has said he is shocked and troubled by the handling of a case involving the husband of an Irishwoman who is jailed in Greece after his appeal was postponed for reasons described as “absurd”.

Mark Marku, 28, the Albanian-born husband of Julie Marku, nee O’Reilly, from Co Carlow, was jailed for 18 years last year for armed robberies and car thefts that independently- verified evidence shows he could not have committed as he was in Ireland when many of them took place.

His appeal hearing was due to begin yesterday, but was adjourned to May 7 next year after the prosecution said the defence did not have a piece of evidence they had been seeking.