A MAN accused of the burglary of 96-year-old Buncrana pensioner Greta Lilly has failed in a legal bid to have the case against him heard in Dublin.
Thomas Alcock, a 48-year-old of no fixed abode, appeared before Letterkenny Circuit Court today.
A barrister had argued before Judge John O’Hagan that his client could not get an impartial jury in Donegal because of the ‘widespread local and national coverage of this case’.
Michael Morrisey told the judge that the case had attracted huge media attention and in light of a spate of other burglaries across Donegal since the incident involving Ms Lilly in January, he felt justice would be best served ‘by moving the case to another jurisdiction’.
Patricia McLaughlin, the DPP’s counsel, opposed the application.
She pointed out that the case had indeed been covered nationally and locally.
She also said no formal notice of the application had been received by the DPP.
Ms McLaughlin said the DPP was ready to proceed with the case.
Judge John O’Hagan rose for a few minutes to consider the application. On his return he ruled that the defence had not given the DPP seven days notice of the application as required by law.
But he also ruled that the case should be heard before a jury in Donegal.
Alcock, who faces charges of burglary and threats to kill, was remanded in custody to appear for trial on July 16.
At hearing.
* For legal reasons, we cannot publish comments in ongoing court cases.