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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Aodhan O'Faolain

Supreme Court agrees to hear appeal from 'Mr Moonlight' Patrick Quirke over murder conviction

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Tipperary farmer Patrick Quirke against his conviction for the murder of DJ Bobby Ryan in 2011.

Quirke, 51, from Breanshamore, was found guilty in 2019 of murdering the father-of-two, known as 'Mr Moonlight', at Fawnagowan in Co Tipperary.

A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him by a majority verdict after a 71-day trial.

In November, Mr Quirke's appeal was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

A three-judge Supreme Court panel said on Wednesday that it will hear a further appeal in relation to two issues it has deemed to be of general public importance.

The first relates to the extent of any requirement to identify what might be searched for when applying for a search warrant.

The second issue to be considered is the discretion vested in the Director of Public Prosecutions in the witnesses she calls in a trial, and in particular expert witnesses.

In their determination, published on Wednesday, the judges said these issues could arise in future criminal trials.

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