Keane murder trial witnesses put forward for trial

Three people charged in connection with the collapse of a high-profile murder trial nearly two years ago have been sent forward for trial.

The trial of Limerick man Liam Keane collapsed at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin in 2003, after a number of key witnesses denied making statements identifying Mr Keane as the killer of 19-year-old Eric Leamy in August 2001.

Appearing before Limerick District Court today were Roy Behan, aged 25, of St Senan's Street, St Mary's Park; David Murphy, aged 22, of the Lee Estate, and Amanda McNamara, aged 22, formerly of the Lee Estate, all in Limerick.

Roy Behan is accused of committing perjury while under oath as a witness in the trial of Liam Keane on November 3, 2003, by "knowingly and falsely swearing" that he did not see a row which led to the death of Eric Leamy.

Amanda McNamara is charged with committing perjury on October 30, 2003, in the same trial by "knowingly and falsely swearing" that she did not know where she was when Eric Leamy was killed.

David Murphy is accused of contempt of court by "refusing to give evidence" in the same trial on October 30, 2003, at the Central Criminal Court.

All three were served with the book of evidence in the case today and were returned for trial to the next sitting of Limerick Circuit Court.

Liam Keane, who denied the murder of Eric Leamy, dramatically walked free from the Central Criminal Court in 2003 after the DPP ordered that a 'Nolle Prosequi' should be entered with his presumption of innocence still intact.

At the time, Mr Justice Paul Carney remarked that it appeared that a number of people were suffering from "collective amnesia" in the case.

All three witnesses who were returned for trial today had previously been charged with similar offences relating to the collapse of the same murder trial.

However, those charges were later dropped when the book of evidence was not served in time and the charges were recently re-entered by the DPP.