Senior barrister who is accused of murder may face other charges

A SENIOR barrister accused of murdering a man in a shooting on farmland in Dublin may face further charges, a court has heard, reports Tom Tuite.

Law professor Diarmuid Phelan, 53, is charged with the murder of father of four, Keith Conlon, at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, on February 22.

After the shooting of his dog, Mr Conlon, from Kiltalown Park in Tallaght, was shot in the back of the head during the incident on Mr Phelan’s farm.

The dog breeder was rushed to Tallaght University Hospital but passed away two days later.

The High Court refused Mr Phelan bail in March, but the following month the Court of Appeal overturned that decision and released him on a €100,000 bond with a range of conditions.

His case was listed again at Dublin District Court on Monday.

State solicitor Tom Conlon told Judge Bryan Smyth that the matter was back for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). However, he added that they had not been finalised and asked for the case to go back to September.

Defence solicitor Donough Molloy told the court that his client – who sat in the front row of the public gallery – was “anxious for the book of evidence to be served as soon as possible”.

Garda Sergeant Michael McGrath, the investigating officer, told Judge Smyth a file was sent to the DPP in February with a recommendation about further charges. “I’m told the file is with the director for consideration of same,” he added.

The defendant moved from his seat and stood closer to the bench after the judge twice asked, “Could he come forward, please?”. However, Mr Phelan, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and blue tie, did not address the court.

Judge Smyth adjourned the case, which will be listed again on July 25, but only for “variation of bail” on that date.

Previously, the court granted an order for gardai to hand over copies of his interview recordings to the defence. Mr Phelan has to obey a 10pm to 8am curfew at a Garda-approved address, sign on daily at a Garda Station, and be contactable by mobile phone.

The bail terms stated he had to give gardai access to all his Irish and foreign bank accounts.

He must stay out of Tallaght and out of his properties in Wexford and have no contact with prosecution witnesses in the case.

He had to surrender his passport, and must not leave the State, join a gun club, or purchase any firearms.

At a previous stage, the bail proceedings heard he shot a dog using his rifle and when the dog owner and his companions remonstrated that he had taken the revolver and fired three shots in their direction.

Mr Phelan claimed he was under various threats at the farm.