Sentencing postponed for man convicted of murdering Kilkenny grandmother

A father-of-three found guilty of murdering a retired grandmother, whose dismembered remains were found scattered across the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, has had his sentence adjourned until June in light of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Kieran Greene (35) was found guilty last February by a Central Criminal Court jury of inflicting "catastrophic injuries" on Patricia O'Connor (61) in a sustained attack in the bathroom of her Rathfarnham home. He had pleaded not guilty to murdering the retired hospital worker at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29 2017. 

Four other defendants - Louise O'Connor (41), Stephanie O'Connor (22), Keith Johnston (43) and Augustine 'Gus' O’Connor (76) had all been remanded on continuing bail until today (Mon), when it was expected that their sentence hearings would take place. 

However, the four accused were excused from attending the Central Criminal Court this morning and their sentence hearings were also adjourned as a result of reduced court sittings in the capital due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The deceased's daughter Louise O'Connor, her granddaughter Stephanie O'Connor and Keith Johnston were each found guilty in February of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Greene, knowing or believing him to have murdered Mrs O'Connor on May 29, 2017. 

Patricia's husband Augustine 'Gus' O’Connor was originally part of the trial but shortly before it began in January, he pleaded guilty to reporting his wife as a missing person to gardai at Rathfarnham Garda Station, Dublin 14 on June 1, 2017, knowing she was already dead. 

Greene who is in custody was this morning dealt with via video link by trial judge Mr Justice Paul McDermott. 

Mr Justice McDermott told the court that this matter was in for sentence today but he was not in a position to proceed with it as a result of "the circumstances that prevail". 

The judge said he proposed to put the matter in for sentence on June 22 and a victim impact statement will be received on that date. He asked parties to appear then. 

"There may well be an indication by the court registrar to parties that their presence may not be required if the restrictions remain in place," he concluded. 

It is expected that Greene will receive the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on June 22. 

Mother-of-five Louise O'Connor of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14 was found guilty of agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O'Connor disguising herself as Patricia O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O'Connor was dead. 

Stephanie O'Connor also of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14 was found guilty guilty of disguising herself as Patricia O'Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead. 

Johnston of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24 was found guilty of assisting Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie's, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9, 2017, which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O'Connor. The handyman is the ex-partner of the deceased's daughter, Louise O'Connor, and is father to two of her five children including Stephanie O'Connor.

The seven-week trial heard that the body of Mrs O’Connor was dismembered into 15 separate parts that were found at nine different locations over a 30km range in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10 and 14, 2017. 

Former Depute State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, gave evidence in the trial that Mrs O'Connor's head was struck a minimum of three blows with a solid implement and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Greene had given two accounts of Mrs O'Connor's death. In an interview with gardai in June 2017, Greene said he was in the bathroom when Mrs O’Connor attacked him with a hurley. He maintained that he had disarmed Mrs O'Connor and acted in self-defence by hitting her with a hurley and as a result of that she may have died. He claimed he was the only one involved in the physical altercation and had acted alone in removing her body from the house, burying her in a shallow grave in Co Wexford and subsequently dismembering her.

The trial heard that six months after he was charged with her murder, Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner's mother. While on remand in Cloverhill Prison in December 2017, Greene told gardai that he had taken “the rap” and felt he was being set-up, as his girlfriend Louise O'Connor subsequently started going back out with her ex-boyfriend Keith Johnston. 

In his December interview Greene claimed that, although there was an altercation, he was not responsible for Mrs O'Connor's death, that her husband Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor had killed her with a crowbar and that other family members had been involved.