Courts

Man charged with murder of Shane Knott in Naas told gardaí ‘it was self defence’

Court told Padraig Delaney (43) and deceased were related as judge grants defence legal aid to seek independent examinations

Padraig Delaney was grated free legal aid. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

Tue Apr 16 2024 - 13:36

A man has appeared in court charged with murder following the discovery of a body in a garden in Naas, Co Kildare last weekend.

Padraig Delaney (43), of The Lane, Eustace Demesne, Naas, is charged with murdering Shane Knott (37) at that address on a date between April 3rd and April 14th last.

Det Sgt Enda Gallagher told Naas District Court that he charged the accused on Monday and he said in reply that “it was self defence”. He told the court a person had called to a Dublin garda station to express concern that “there may be a body at that address”.

When gardaí went to the scene they discovered the remains of Mr Knott. The defendant was arrested and an investigation commenced. The court heard that following a postmortem gardaí were satisfied Mr Knott died violently.

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Some exhibits, including timber, were taken from the scene and are being examined. Asked about the relationship between the defendant and the deceased, the detective said they were relatives.

Tim Kennelly, solicitor for the accused, said his client is not working because of a lung issue and receives disability allowance. Judge Desmond Zaidan granted Mr Delaney free legal aid.

Mr Kennelly also requested legal aid for an independent postmortem because a number of issues arose when the defendant was being interviewed which he said do not “tie in with an accurate version of events”. He said he was also seeking legal aid for an independent examination of the crime scene.

After an adjournment, Insp Paul Reilly told the court the State had no objection to Mr Kennelly’s applications. Judge Zaidan said it was the first time he had encountered an application like this in almost two decades on the bench.

He said if it was up to him he would refuse both applications because the information provided “is scant and general”, but he acceded to them after being told the Director of Public Prosecutions was not opposed. However, he refused an application to impose reporting restrictions on the defendant’s address.

Mr Delaney was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned to Thursday.

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