O’Gorman murder accused misses another court appearance

An Italian man accused of the murder of well-known pro-life campaigner and religious writer Tom O’Gorman, was unable to face another court hearing today.

Saverio Bellante (34) the deceased's former lodger, had been due to appear at Cloverhill District Court today.

He had originally been remanded in custody on January 13th last with an order that he was to be given medical treatment.

He had been unable to attend two subsequent hearings because he was in the Central Mental Hospital.

Today a sick warrant was produced again after which Judge Michael Coghlan adjourned the case until March 27th next.

The body of Mr O’Gorman, aged 39, from Beech Park Avenue, in the north Dublin suburb of Castleknock, was found after gardai were called to his large detached home at about 1.50am on Sunday, January 12th last.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and a post mortem was later carried out by Professor Marie Cassidy.

Saverio Bellante, a customer service agent, was later arrested; he had replied "I am guilty" after he was charged, Det Garda Patrick Traynor had said at the accused's first hearing at Blanchardstown District Court on January 13th last.

The 34-year-old, who is from Palermo in Sicily, is accused of murdering Mr O'Gorman, at Beech Park Avenue, Castleknock between January 11th and 12th.

The deceased, Tom O’Gorman, was a well known pro-life advocate and former journalist with the Catholic newspaper The Voice Today.

Recently he had been a researcher for the Dublin based Catholic lobby group the Iona Institute.