Jury finds Jahiri guilty of murder

A Central Criminal Court jury has found Vesel Jahiri guilty of the murder of his former partner and mother of their two children.

Jahiri stabbed Anna Finnegan to death in her own home a month after she had sought refuge at a women’s shelter.

Ms Finnegan wrote that Jahiri made her life “hell”, and had beaten her and “almost killed her”. They had been together since she was 16 years old.

Jurors also found Jahiri guilty of stabbing Anna’s brother Karl Finnegan in the chest and head during the same attack.

Jahiri was representing himself at his own trial and was removed from the court on several occasions, the latest coming after he punched the prosecuting barrister in the face and was wrestled to the ground by prison officers.

Before the verdicts were read out, Jahiri was brought into court accompanied by four prison officers dressed in full riot gear. He was handcuffed and two of these prison officers sat next to him in the dock.

As the jury came into court to deliver their verdict Jahiri began to shout: “Jurors, I found the 999 call.”

A jury which had been reduced to eight men and two women found Jahiri guilty by unanimous verdict of murdering Ms Finnegan. They had deliberated for six hours and 43 minutes.

They also found him guilty by unanimous verdict of assaulting Karl Finnegan, causing him harm.

The judge then had Jahiri removed from court as he was shouting.

Jahiri, 35, originally from Kosovo but of no fixed abode, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering Ms Finnegan, 25, at Allendale Glen, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 on September 21, 2012.

He had also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Karl Finnegan, causing him harm, at the same place on the same date.

Following the verdicts, Mr Justice Coffey thanked the jury for their time and exempted them from jury service for life.

“Thank you for the great care and fastidious attention you have given to this long and difficult case,” he said.

The court adjourned sentencing until May 8.

Jahiri was then brought back into court. Addressing Jahiri, Mr Justice Coffey said: “You are entitled to free legal aid and entitled to instruct lawyers but it is entirely a matter for you.”

Jahiri then started to shout: “What you mean sentence, what conviction, what am I convicted for?”

Just two weeks into the trial Jahiri, a mechanic by trade, dismissed his legal team. During the trial Jahiri alleged gardaí were engaged in “collusion” with witnesses and evidence had been tampered with. Last month, the judge told Jahiri he was “throwing out allegations” at witnesses “like confetti” and proceeded to exclude Jahiri from court.

This was Jahiri’s second trial for murdering Ms Finnegan after a jury failed to reach a verdict in his first trial in 2014.

Jahiri failed to turn up for the final days of his first trial and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Mr Justice Coffey remanded Jahiri in custody until May 8 when two victim impact statements will be before the court.