A Circuit Court judge has adjourned sentencing in the case of two people charged in connection with the collapse of a Limerick murder trial.
A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of David Murphy (20), Lee Estate, Limerick, on Thursday after he failed to show up for the sentencing hearing.
Murphy claimed in court yesterday that he could not appear on Thursday as he was attending his grandmother's funeral.
He has pleaded guilty to a charge of contempt of court at the Liam Keane murder trial in October 2003 at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin
The second accused person, Amanda McNamara (22), formerly of Lee Estate, Limerick, will also be sentenced on Monday after pleading guilty to committing perjury at the same trial.
The murder trial collapsed when a number of people, including the two accused, denied making statements identifying Keane as the killer of Eric Leamy, aged 19.
Mr Leamy died on August 28th, 2001, after a stab wound to his side.
Following the collapse of the trial, Keane infamously gave a two-fingered salute to the assembled media outside the court.
Mark Nicholas, defending, yesterday described Keane's sneer at the justice system as an "appalling gesture" but added that his client, David Murphy, could not be blamed for the collapse of the trial.
Mr Nicholas told the court that his client had said to gardaí that he would rather do six months in jail than give evidence in court.
"I can come out of prison but I can't come out of a box," Murphy said.
John Edwards SC, for Amanda McNamara, said his client was in fear for herself and threats had been made to her family.
The young mother, he added, had never been in trouble before and acted for "self-serving reasons rather than personal gain".
Mr Edwards asked that his client not be used as a vehicle for sending out a message of deterrence.
Judge Carroll Moran said he needed time to consider the matters before him and adjourned sentencing until Monday.