Liam Keane jailed for another three months

A 19-year-old Limerick man at the centre of a collapsed murder trial has been jailed for a further three months.

Liam Keane is currently serving a four-month prison sentence following a conviction earlier this month for public order offences.

Mr Keane appeared today before Limerick District Court after gardai applied to activate an earlier suspended sentence - also for public order offences.

On November 5 last - Liam Keane of Singland Gardens, Ballysimon, Limerick - was given a three-month suspended sentence following a conviction for being intoxicated in a public place and with threatening behaviour at the Parkway Shopping Centre on October 19 last.

However, that sentence was suspended by the court on condition that Mr Keane keep the peace for two years.

At Limerick District Court today gardaí applied to Judge Tom O'Donnell to activate the suspended sentence.

"There is nothing to stop gardaí seeking to invoke the earlier sentence. In fairness to the gardaí there has been no delay in this matter and they sought to invoke the suspended sentence at the earliest opportunity," said Judge O'Donnell.

Liam Keane walked free from a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court on November 3 last after the case against him collpased in controversial fashion.

The case collapsed when several prosecution witnesses denied making statements to gardaí identifying Keane as the killer of 19-year-old Eric Leamy.

Keane had denied the murder at the Lee Estate, Limerick, on August 28, 2001.