Man accused of 'disposal' of Keane Mulready Woods' body parts and hampering murder probe

Accused, 46, to face trial in the Special Criminal Court

Stephen Carberry, 46, of Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4, at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Friday. Picture: Paddy Cummins

A Dublin man has been accused of the “disposal of body parts” and impeding the investigation into the murder and dismemberment of Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready Woods in 2020.

Stephen Carberry, 46, appeared at Dublin District Court on Friday and made no bail application after facing three serious charges, which will result in a trial before the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

Judge Monika Leech remanded Mr Carberry, of Adair Apartments, Sandymount, Dublin 4, in custody to appear again on May 31.

Keane Mulready Woods, 17, was last seen alive by his family on the evening of Sunday, January 12, 2020.

He was killed, and his body was later dismembered.

Remains found at Coolock and in a burnt-out vehicle at Trinity Terrace, Dublin, and at Rathmullan Park in Drogheda, Co Louth, were those of the missing boy.

Mr Carberry was accused of damaging a Volvo V40 car by fire, bearing false registration plates for the benefit of a criminal organisation, on January 15 at Trinity Terrace, Ballybough, Dublin 3.

The second charge alleges that from January 13-15, 2020, at Trinity Terrace, to enhance the ability of a criminal organisation to commit a serious offence, murder, he participated in or contributed to the transportation and disposal of body parts of Keane Mulready Woods.

The third charge states that over the same two-day period at locations in the State, he impeded the apprehension or prosecution of another person who committed the murder and knowing they were guilty of that or another offence.

Detective Sergeant Enda O’Sullivan of Mountjoy Garda Station told Judge Leech Mr Carberry replied: “I was never in Ballybough,” to one charge and did not respond to the other two.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan added the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided Mr Carberry should be tried in the Special Criminal Court.

He expected the book of evidence would not be ready for at least four weeks.

Defence solicitor John Feaheny said his client was not applying for bail at this stage.

The judge remanded Mr Carberry in custody to appear again next Friday but noted the book of evidence would not be ready then.

Legal aid was granted to Mr Carberry.

Charges against Owen Flood

A second man, Owen Flood, 30, who faced related charges, also appeared before the same court. He is accused of using a stolen car at Sandymount Avenue, Dublin 4, on December 19, 2019.

On the same date, it is alleged Mr Flood, of Ballybough Avenue, Dublin 3, stole €50 of diesel from Applegreen Service Station, M1 Northbound, Lusk, Co Dublin.

Detective Sergeant Fergus Finnegan said Mr Flood’s reply to the charge was: “I’ll plead guilty straight away”.

The DPP instructed gardaí Mr Flood would face trial on indictment in the Circuit Court and that a book of evidence must also be drafted for his case.

He was granted legal aid after the judge was informed he had “no assets”. His solicitor, Aoife McTaggart, said the defence was “reserving our position on bail”, and he was remanded in custody to appear again next Friday.

Neither defendant addressed the court during their brief separate appearances before Judge Leech.

Last year, two men were jailed by the Special Criminal Court for connected crimes.

Gerard Cruise, 50, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, pleaded guilty to a charge that, with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he facilitated the murder of Keane Mulready Woods at Rathmullan Park, Drogheda.

He was handed a seven-year jail term.

Paul Crosby, 28, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was imprisoned for 10 years.

Those proceedings heard the prime suspect in the murder was Robert Lawlor, a “notorious” criminal.

Lawlor, 36, from Dublin, was shot dead in Belfast in April 2020.