Murder accused had no previous girlfriends, court hears

The mother of a man accused of murdering his mother in law, has told the Central Criminal Court her son had no previous girlfriends before meeting the woman whose mother he is accused of killing.

Kieran Greene, 35, has denied murdering 61-year-old Patricia O'Connor in the bathroom of her home in Rathfarnham in May 2017.

His partner, Louise O'Connor, her daughter Stephanie O'Connor and Stephanie's father, Keith Johnston, have all pleaded not guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Mr Greene.

One of the two charges faced by Mr Johnston was withdrawn from the jury by the judge after legal argument.

Evidence in the case has now finished and the jury will begin hearing closing speeches next week.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott told the jurors this afternoon that there had been a development in the case of Keith Johnston. 

He is charged with helping Mr Greene to buy various implements at a number of shops, to be used in the concealment of Mrs O'Connor's remains. 

He was also charged with engaging in the refurbishment of the bathroom of the house in Rathfarnham where Patricia O'Connor is alleged to have been murdered in order to destroy or conceal evidence. 

The judge told the jurors that as a result of legal arguments he had decided to withdraw the count relating to the bathroom from them and they would no longer have to make a decision on that charge.

He said the state of play in relation to the remaining counts against all the accused remained the same. 

The trial also heard evidence from Kieran Greene's mother who was called to give evidence by his defence counsel, Conor Devally.  

She told the court her son was assessed when he was in first class in primary school and found to be around "two and a half years behind". She said he was taken out of class and got extra tuition for a lot of subjects. 

Joan Greene said Kieran Greene lived at home with his family until he met Louise O'Connor and had no previous girlfriends or relationships as far as she knew.

She agreed that she and her husband signed a document in September 2017 agreeing to act as guardians of her son's three children with Louise O'Connor if Mr Greene and Louise were no longer able to discharge their parental roles.

She agreed with Defence Counsel, Michael Bowman, acting for Louise O'Connor that this had been raised with her by Louise and denied that she had agreed initially to act as guardian for only one of the children. 

She said she did not know about a document Louise O'Connor had prepared in June 2018 revoking Mr and Mrs Greene as guardians.

Mrs Greene also agreed with lawyers for Keith Johnston that her son's health had deteriorated while in custody.  

She told defence counsel James Dwyer that he had lost a bit of weight, was very tired in himself and was very withdrawn. She agreed that she would describe him as paranoid.

Mrs Greene was the only witness for the defence. Lawyers for Louise and Stephanie O'Connor and for Keith Johnston told the jury they would not be going into evidence.

Mr Justice McDermott told the jurors this brought to a conclusion all the evidence they would hear in the case.

He said they would now need to listen to five closing speeches from each set of lawyers as well as an address from him.

Speeches may begin on Monday afternoon.