A Dundalk man appeared before Limerick Circuit Court yesterday, 14 years after he was charged with a manslaughter in the city.
Gregory Conway (37), of no fixed abode but from Dundalk, Co Louth, is charged with the unlawful killing of Denis Quinlivan, between September 9th, 1991, and November 5th, 1991, in Limerick city.
Denis Quinlivan, a 40-year-old single man, died two months after he was the victim of a vicious beating at a house in Southill, Limerick. Mr Conway was due to stand trial on June 15th, 1992, in connection with the unlawful killing of Mr Quinlivan, but a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to show up in court.
Yesterday at Limerick Circuit Court, the 14-year-old bench warrant was finally executed. Det Garda Mick Murphy told the court that gardaí had become aware in recent days that Mr Conway was back in the jurisdiction.
He said it was his understanding that Mr Conway had gone to England. Counsel for Mr Conway, Sarah Jane O'Callaghan BL, put it to him that it was "unconscionable" that a bench warrant could be outstanding for so long. Ms O'Callaghan said she had "grave concerns over the constitutionality of the whole process" and asked Judge Carroll Moran not to return the matter for trial as a "serious question of law" was at stake.
Judge Moran said the warrant for Mr Conway's arrest was still valid and remanded him in custody until his next appearance on July 10th.