Psych assessment for murder accused
Shane Smyth, of Flat 3, McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny City, was charged early Saturday morning with the murder of Mairead Moran, aged 26, who was fatally stabbed while at work in the Holland and Barrett health shop in Kilkenny City’s Market Cross shopping centre.
He was brought before a special sitting of Kilkenny District Court and remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison, to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Friday, May 16. The accused was not called upon to speak during the brief hearing.
A crowd of about 20 people gathered outside the courthouse as the accused was driven away in an unmarked Garda car.
Det Sgt Colin Furlong gave evidence during the hearing of charging Mr Smyth at 1.37am on Saturday. He told the court that he asked the accused if he had any reply to the charge and the accused said: “Not at this moment.”
Insp Joe Carton applied for a remand in custody until next Friday and this was granted. The accused’s solicitor, Chris Hogan, asked for legal aid and said his client was not working and on disability allowance. He also asked for a psychiatric assessment.
Judge Eamon O’Brien acceded to both requests.
Ms Moran, a single woman originally from Kilmaganny in Co Kilkenny but living in the city for the last number of years, was attacked at about 8.30pm on Thursday and stabbed a number of times.
After her assailant fled the shopping centre, she was helped by passers-by and staff from the nearby SuperValu shop, but, despite the attempts of paramedics who arrived at the scene and doctors at St Luke’s Hospital, she was later pronounced dead.
She was daughter of Margo and Peter Moran who run a grocery shop in Kilmaganny, and younger sister of Colette and Michelle.
Mr Smyth, originally from Knocktopher but living in Kilkenny City, was arrested in the Loughboy area on Thursday night and detained since then for questioning under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
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