Eager murder trial held in London for good reasons: McDowell

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said the trial of a man for the murder of a County Wicklow woman was held in London for perfectly good legal reasons.

Michael McDowell said his Department did not have a say in where it was being held.

Sixty-three year old Christopher Newman was jailed for life in London yesterday for the murder of 28-year-old Georgina Eager in Dublin two years ago.

Mr McDowell said the trial in London had a successful outcome which may not have come as soon if an application had been made for Newman's extradition.

“It was decided for perfectly good reasons that the case should be conducted in a place where the statements' admissibility would be governed by the law which operated.”

The case made legal history as it was the first time a person accused of murder in Ireland was tried in Britain.

After the verdict yesterday, Georgina Eager’s family said they were disappointed that the trial was conducted in London.