Judge sends case of man accused of Kieran Quilligan murder to Central Criminal Court

Kieran Quilligan's remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork. File picture: Dan Linehan

A 26-year-old man accused of murdering 47-year-old Kieran Quilligan, whose remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork, had the case against him sent forward for trial by judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court.

Sergeant Dave Delea confirmed at Cork District Court on Thursday that the book of evidence had been served on Luke Taylor of no fixed address, and formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork. Mr Taylor appeared by video link from prison for the brief hearing on Thursday. 

Wearing a yellow Under Armour t-shirt, the young man acknowledged the alibi warning given to him by Judge Mary Dorgan and the sending forward of the case to the Central Criminal Court. The alibi warning is given to the accused in every trial by indictment and it concerns notices that must be given to the State if an alibi defence is to be used.

Defence solicitor Cathal Lombard was granted an extension of legal aid for a barrister and senior counsel to represent the accused also for the higher court.

The late Kieran Quilligan’s remains were found following an extensive search in East Cork. The murder count faced by Luke Taylor states that on a date unknown between September 1, 2023, and January 29, 2024, at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork City he did murder Kieran Quilligan, contrary to Common Law.

Back in July, details of the intensive investigation of the case were revealed by Sergeant John Kelleher: “There have been 851 separate lines of enquiry, 412 statements have been taken and there are over 250 exhibits pertaining to the investigation for the file have been gathered. In terms of CCTV alone, thousands of hours of CCTV were harvested and viewed by garda members assigned to the investigation.” 

Gardaí started a murder investigation following the discovery of human remains found on Monday, January 29, at Rostellan in East Cork. The late Mr Quilligan had been a missing person since September 2023 and a search had been ongoing.

Co-accused, 32-year-old Niall Long of 35 St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, is to be served with a book of evidence on October 30.