A man was today sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering a German tourist during her holiday in the Republic.
Michael Murphy (42), from Drogheda, Co Louth, was convicted of murdering journalist Bettina Poeschel (28) after a four week trial at Dublin's Central Criminal Court.
The seven-man, five-woman jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict after five-and-a-half hours of deliberations.
Murphy has a string of previous convictions, including manslaughter. He was tried for the murder of 64-year-old Catherine Carroll in 1984 and served eight years of a 12-year-sentence.
Justice Aindrias O Caoimh today told the court the only appropriate sentence was life imprisonment.
The court heard evidence from 75 witnesses during the 20-day trial, including members of Ms Poeschel's family who had travelled over from their home in Munich.
Ms Poeschel disappeared on September 25th, 2001, the last day of her week's holiday with friends in Ireland. Her body was found in undergrowth in Donore, Co Meath, more than three weeks later.
Murphy had pleaded not guilty to murdering the journalist between September 25th and October 17th, 2001.
PA