Jury in Kieran Quilligan murder trial to resume deliberations in the morning

The judge said there were three verdicts open to the jury in respect of each defendant: guilty of murder; not guilty of murder; or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter

Kieran Quilligan (pictured) is alleged to have been murdered 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. Photo: Facebook

The 10 men and two women on the jury in the Kieran Quilligan murder trial will resume their deliberations at 11am on Thursday — the 12th day of the trial.

They deliberated for almost two hours this afternoon before being sent home by Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford.

Ms Justice Lankford spent the morning summarising evidence from the witnesses who gave evidence in the course of the trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

The judge also directed the jury on the aspects of law which govern their deliberations.

28-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial on the same charge of murder. 

The murder count which each man denies, 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, aged 47, contrary to Common Law.

Both men denied murder when they were arraigned at the start of the trial. The defendants are not obliged to give evidence themselves and opted not to testify.

Brendan Grehan, senior counsel for Luke Taylor, did call as a witness Detective Garda Anne O’Sullivan who said she charged Mr Taylor on February 6, 2024, with murdering Kieran Quilligan and that he replied after caution: “Didn’t murder no one.” 

Two separate trials

Before the jury began their deliberations this afternoon, the judge told them that they were dealing with two separate trials, the trial of Mr Long and the trial of Mr Taylor, and that a verdict in respect of one could be different to the verdict on the other, if the jury so decided.

Ms Justice Lankford said all 12 of them must agree on the verdicts and that they could have as much time as they needed.

She said there were three verdicts open to them in respect of each defendant. They can find him guilty of murder, not guilty of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.