A CONVICTED murderer and drugs dealer, his parents, wife and former girlfriend have agreed in court to split the proceeds of a cottage in which all claimed an interest.
Brian Kenny, a 41-year-old former milkman, is serving a life sentence for the “cold, calculated and premeditated slaying” in April 2004 of 25-year-old Jonathan O’Reilly, of St Mark’s Gardens, Clondalkin, Dublin.
In the Circuit Civil Court yesterday Kenny was sued by former girlfriend Rita Harling for a financial cut of Mitchelstown Cottage, Kilshane Cross, Finglas, Dublin. It is the house they shared until February 2002.
Barrister Paul O’Reilly told the court Kenny was also being sued by Amanda Joyce, the woman he had married after the 2002 break-up with Ms Harling.
In turn, the convicted killer was sued over a financial interest in the property by his parents William and Anne Kenny. They claimed they had for years paid the mortgage while their son was unable to do so.
Sunniva McDonagh, counsel for Kenny, said he had bought the cottage and lived there with Ms Harling until they split up.
She said Kenny had subsequently married Ms Joyce who was also making a financial interest claim against the property on the basis it was the family home she had shared with Kenny.
Ms McDonagh said her client was consenting to the sale of the property and agreeable for the court to determine each party’s financial interest.
Bernadette Kirby, counsel for Ms Harling, said there were now a number of competing claims added to the original proceedings taken out in 2007 by Ms Harling. Ms Kirby said the cottage had been subsequently burned and an insurance claim had been paid.
The court was not given specific details on the payout. But it was learned afterwards that a fire occurred at a time when the cottage had been vacant and the subject of vandalism on a number of occasions.
Brendan Gogarty, of Smyth Son Solicitors, Drogheda, who appeared for Kenny’s parents, said they had paid the mortgage on the property for a number of years when no one else was paying it. He asked for them to be added to the proceedings.
Circuit Court president Mr Justice Matthew Deery was told, following negotiations, that the matter had been settled.
He directed that the property be sold and that the County Registrar sign documents necessary for the sale should any of the parties refuse to do so. It was agreed Kenny would have a 40 per cent interest with 20 per cent shares each being granted to Ms Harling, Ms Joyce and Mr and Mrs Kenny.
Kenny was jailed for life with Thomas Hinchon (25) for O’Reilly’s murder as the victim sat in a BMW car outside Cloverhill Prison on April 17th, 2004.
The Central Criminal Court heard that a motorcycle with two men had pulled up alongside the car and a number of shots had been fired through the window, killing O’Reilly.
Mr Justice Michael Peart described the murder as a “cold, calculated and premeditated slaying”.
In July 1999 Kenny pleaded guilty to possession of heroin a year earlier with intent to supply. He and several others were given five-year suspended sentences. The court heard that he was one of a ring of milkmen who took drugs orders on their mobile phones and delivered the narcotics on their milk rounds.