Jury sworn in for Celine Cawley murder trial

A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court to try 51-year-old Eamonn Lillis, who is charged with murdering his wife in North Dublin just over a year ago.

Mr Lillis of Windgate Road, Howth has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Celine Cawley in the home they shared there on December 15, 2008.

Mary Ellen Ring SC, prosecuting, said the couple were directors of Toytown Productions, a commercial production company on Windmill Lane in Dublin city centre. She said Ms Cawley’s siblings were solicitors or involved in advertising.

The murder trial is the first to take place in the new Courts of Criminal Justice Complex and Mr Lillis had to be arraigned twice as the first arraignment was not heard by the jury panel, watching proceedings on television in a separate room. A first cousin of Ms Cawley’s, who happened to be called for jury duty, was excused from serving due to the relationship.

The trial will open tomorrow before a jury of six women and six men.