Cork man found guilty of murder

A 24-year-old Cork man has been found guilty of the murder of a woman during a robbery at her flat in Cork city in July 2002.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Mr Brian Walsh from Leitrim Street, Cork city, used a large knife on Ms Kiely’s body after she died to make it appear like suicide.

It took the jury three hours to convict Brian Walsh of murder. He had denied the charge but pleaded guilty to the theft of less than €20 in cash and jewellery from Ms Kiely from that date.

The jury are still considering a murder charge against Walsh’s co-accused Thomas Penkert.

The jury has heard that Ms Kiely died from forced compression to the neck. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy said the forensic evidence was "highly suggestive" of an attempted sexual assault.