Pair to face trial at Central Prison Court docket for Sliabh Liag cliffs homicide

Two individuals have been despatched ahead for trial on the Central Prison Court docket charged with homicide after the physique of a person was discovered off Sliabh Liag cliffs on July third final.

Alan Vial and Nikita Burns have been charged with murdering Robert Wilkin.

Vial, 38, appeared in individual at Letterkenny District Court docket whereas Burns, 21, appeared by videolink from the Dóchas Centre at Mountjoy Jail.

The courtroom was advised that the Director of Public Prosecutions has consented to sending each ahead for trial to the present sitting of the Central Prison Court docket.

Detective Garda Shane Maye advised the courtroom he served a e book of proof on Vial this morning in courtroom at 11.18am.

Vial, who wore a blue padded jacket and denims, didn’t converse in the course of the listening to.

Choose Eiteain Cunningham learn him the alibi warning and assigned his solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, free authorized help and assigned the accused each a senior and junior counsel within the case.

The Choose adjourned the case till the present sitting of the Central Prison Court docket on November twenty eighth subsequent.

Detective Sergeant Mattie Murphy advised the courtroom he served a e book of proof by way of Ms Burns’ solicitor, Mr Rory O’Brien at 11.13am this morning.

She too was given the alibi warning and assigned free authorized help in addition to a senior and junior counsel.

Her case was additionally adjourned till November twenty eighth subsequent on the Central Prison Court docket.

Vial and Burns are charged that on June 25, 2023, at a spot unknown inside the State, they did homicide one Robert Wilkin (also called Robin Wilkin).

The physique of Mr Wilkin, aged in his 60s and initially from County Tyrone, was discovered floating in waters off Sliabh Liag on July 3.

Over 200 statements have been taken within the case with detectives piecing collectively a posh jigsaw of proof having gathered ‘nicely in extra’ of 200 displays.

Sixteen interviews had been carried out with the accused whereas six crime scenes had been designated. Different scenes of curiosity had been additionally examined by Gardai.

Detective Garda Ciaran O’Brien advised an earlier courtroom sitting that there was a ‘large’ quantity of forensic evaluation required within the matter.

Vial and Burns had been initially arrested on June 26 on suspicion of a critical assault. It adopted info acquired by Gardai which led to a large-scale search round in style vacationer vacation spot.

Whereas each had been launched with out cost on that event, Vial was then introduced earlier than Ballyshannon District Court docket on July 14 the place he was charged with homicide whereas Burns was introduced earlier than Letterkenny District Court docket on August 29 when she was additionally charged with homicide.

Following an in depth search involving Gardai, the Irish Coastguard together with Rescue 118 and the Donegal Mountain Rescue Staff, a physique was recovered in water off the cliffs on July 3.

The physique was taken to Letterkenny College Hospital the place a full put up mortem was carried out by the State Pathologist’s Workplace.

The findings of that put up mortem haven’t been launched for Garda operational causes.

Pair to face trial at Central Prison Court docket for Sliabh Liag cliffs homicide was final modified: November twentieth, 2023 by Workers Author