Kerry man gets life for murder of his 'wonderful' mother who 'had a smile for everyone'

The trial heard that Billy Burns had been aggressive and violent towards Miriam Burns since he was a teenager and on one occasion broke her jaw

Billy Burns (pictured) had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his 75-year-old mother Miriam Burns, but a jury unanimously rejected that defence earlier this week. Photo: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

A 55-year-old Kerry man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the “violent” murder of his “wonderful” and “hardworking” mother — described as someone who “always had a smile for everyone” — whom he strangled to death at her Killarney home three years ago.

Billy Burns had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his 75-year-old mother Miriam Burns, but a jury unanimously rejected that defence earlier this week.

The 12 jurors accepted the prosecution's case that the actions of 55-year-old Burns in killing his mother stemmed not from mental illness but from his "long-term abuse of drugs and alcohol" and anger towards his mother.

The trial heard that Burns had been aggressive and violent towards Ms Burns since he was a teenager and on one occasion broke her jaw.

Burns had denied to gardaí any involvement in his mother's death, told lies about his movements on the day and made deliberate attempts to destroy evidence related to the killing, the prosecution had also argued.

Ms Justice Karen O’Connor sentenced Burns on Friday to the mandatory term of life imprisonment. Passing sentence, Ms Justice O’Connor noted the family’s decision not to provide a victim impact statement to the court.

Miriam Burns 'was described in this trial as being the queen of communication,' the judge said.

Ms Justice O’Connor conveyed her condolences to Miriam Burn’s family, friends and neighbours who, she said, had displayed “extraordinary dignity and composure” at all times despite hearing heartbreaking evidence of the “violent nature” of their mother’s death. She acknowledged the “unimaginable grief” for those left behind.

The judge said those present in court for the trial had received an insight into the type of person Miriam Burn’s was, noting that despite bringing up her family on her own, the 75-year-old always had “a big smile for everyone” and was “always glamourous”.

The judge said she got a strong sense that the deceased was a “hardworking woman” who looked after her family and was committed to all of them. “The love and grief this family feels was palpable during the trial,” she said. “It’s a testament to the love she gave to all of you.” 

The trial had heard evidence, she said, of the efforts made by Ms Burn’s son Shane in Australia and of her daughter Sharon to find out if their mother was okay. Ms Justice O’Connor said one could only imagine the shock Shane Burns must have felt when he was “on the end of a phoneline” and heard this “desperate, desperate news”.

She said Ms Burns had embraced technology and loved Netflix as well as Facetime and WhatsApp which, she said, allowed her to communicate with her family.

The body of Miriam Burns always had 'a big smile for everyone' and was 'always glamourous', the court heard.

“She was a woman who loved to chat no matter how busy she was,” Ms Justice O’Connor said. “She was described in this trial as being the queen of communication”.

The judge told Ms Burns’ family they had “honoured her legacy” throughout the trial process and would no doubt “always honour the wonderful woman she was, the dignity she taught you and the values she had”.

Miriam Burns was found dead at her home at Ardshanavooley, Killarney, Co Kerry on August 15, 2022, when concerned family members asked neighbours to check on her.

It was the prosecution’s case that Burns killed his mother some time between 10pm on August 12 and the early hours of August 13. A pathologist's report showed that she died from manual strangulation associated with blunt force trauma to the head.