LAST UPDATE | 16 Nov 2022

A 20-YEAR-OLD man has appeared before Tralee District Court this morning, charged with the murder of Killarney man and father of seven Thomas Dooley

Thomas Dooley was killed at a cemetery in Tralee last month.

Thomas Dooley, a relative of the deceased, of Bay 10 Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Cork is charged with the murder of 43-year-old Thomas Dooley at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee on 5 October last.

He is also charged with causing serious harm to Siobhan Dooley, wife of the deceased man.

Detective Sergeant Ernie Henderson said Dooley replied “No comment” to each of the two charges after formal caution when arrested at Tralee Garda Station at 3.09am today, November 16.

An application for legal aid for Thomas Dooley, who the court was told is unemployed, was made by his solicitor Aoife Buttimer. This was adjourned to allow a statement of means to be furnished.

Judge David Waters remanded Thomas Dooley in custody for a week for production of the book of evidence.

Two men, including a brother and a cousin of the deceased, were previously charged with the murder. 

Juvenile

In the afternoon, a young person appeared at the juvenile court in Tralee, charged with having in his possession in the cemetery of “an improvised weapon with a sharp blade” which it was alleged was intended to cause injury to/incapacitate or intimidate. The alleged offence is contrary Section 9 (5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990. 

Detective Sergeant Mark O’Sullivan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.The detective said he had explained the charge to the juvenile in “ordinary language”, and cautioned him, and had formally charged him in the presence of his mother at Tralee Garda Station at 3.19am.

The youth made no reply to the charge, Detective O’Sullivan said..

The State’s application was to remand him in custody, Sergeant Miriam Mulhall Nolan said.

O’Sullivan outlined a number of reasons for objecting to bail. The young man was arrested at Dublin port, and there was a risk he would try to go again to the country he had been to, the detective said.

Solicitor Aoife Buttimer said her client had no previous convictions, he was a minor and as this was an ongoing investigation, he could be “languishing in custody” for up to two years.

Her client enjoyed the presumption of innocence, she also said.

Judge David Waters said he would grant bail on very strict conditions: twice daily signing on at a garda station, residing at his home, and a cash lodgement of €5,000 by an adult.

All travel documents have to be surrendered, and there is to be no contact with witnesses direct or indirect, he is to provide a mobile phone number and stay out of Kerry, except for court appearances, and be in his home between 8pm and 8am.

Judge Waters remanded him in custody, with consent to bail, to next Wednesday’s sitting of Tralee District Court.

He granted the application for legal aid for the juvenile to the solicitor.