Murder trial jurors told not to behave like ‘Poirot or Sherlock Holmes’

A judge has warned jurors in a murder trial not to engage in “Poirot or Sherlock Holmes” behaviour and that they will be held in contempt of court if they look up details of the case on the internet.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens was speaking at the Central Criminal Court about the trial of Keith Brady (32), of Cartron Estate, Sligo, who is charged with murdering Martin ‘Matt’ Kivlehan between August 2nd and August 3rd, 2015 at New Apartments, Holborn Street, Sligo.

Mr Brady pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Kivlehan but the plea was not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Justice Owens said the jury would begin to hear evidence on Wednesay but he warned them not to act like Agatha Christie’s fictional detective Hercule Poirot or Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

He also told them not to research any names they hear in court and to steer clear of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

He told the jurors that if anyone should ask them about the trial they are involved in “tell them the judge told me ‘I’ll go to jail’” for discussing it.

Paul Murray SC, for the State, will open the prosecution’s case on Wednesday. The case is expected to last for two weeks.