Pair cleared of murder after State's case collapses

A mother of three and a 19-year-old have been cleared of murdering a man at a Christmas party in Drogheda, after the State's case against them collapsed when the trial judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict them.

Following a three week trial at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy ruled that Louise Wall (aged 21) and Michael Cruise could not be convicted of murder as “ the court could only take the view that the accused did not cause the death” of Darren McKeown in December 2007.