Rights of killer enforced by law

Irish law is an ass as it remains silent on whether unlawful killing prohibits a share of jointly held assets, says Dan Buckley

IF anyone ever doubted that property takes precedence over people in Ireland, consider the words of Ms Justice Mary Laffoy in the High Court last Tuesday.

Declaring that Eamonn Lillis was entitled to a half share of the assets he jointly owned with his late wife Celine Cawley, the judge made clear that the law obliged her to enforce the property rights of a savage killer.