Gardai have charged a 62-yr-old man with the murder of a woman found dead in a burning car last Thursday evening in Doneraile in north Cork.
RTE reports that Michael Leonard, with an address at Hillcrest, Glenosheen, Kilmallock in Co Limerick, appeared before a special sitting of the district court in Fermoy on Sunday morning.
The man was charged with the murder of Mary O’Keeffe at Dromdeer East, Doneraile on 4th of February 2021.
The national broadcaster reports that the court heard evidence of the man’s arrest and charge at Fermoy Garda Station on Saturday night to which he made no reply.
Inspector Tony O’Sullivan said the DPP wanted a trial on indictment.
He asked for Mr Leonard to be remanded in custody and to appear again via videolink before the district court in Cork City on Friday.
It’s understood that Mr Leonard’s legal team applied for free legal aid which was granted by Judge Marie Keane, including a psychiatric assessment, before remanding him in custody.
The man was found drowning in a nearby river but was rescued by emergency personnel last Thursday evening following the discovery of the woman’s body.