Two charged with perverting course of justice in Whelan murder investigation

A man and woman have appeared in court accused of perverting the course of justice during the investigation into the murder of a 42-year-old man in Dublin last year.

Wayne Whelan (42) was shot in the head before the Toyota car he was in was torched in the Mount Andrew Rise area of Lucan, Dublin on November 18th.

Mr Whelan, who was found on the passenger seat, was identified using DNA analysis.

Lacey O’Connor (28) and Mark Casserly (45) both living in the same address at Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, were arrested on Thursday morning and charged with perverting the course of justice.

They then appeared before Judge Gerard Jones at Dublin District Court.

There was no objection to bail subject to them obeying conditions and they were ordered to appear again at the district court on July 23rd to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial to a higher court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment.

Ms O’Connor was charged with perverting the course of justice in the context of the criminal investigation into the murder of Wayne Whelan and allegedly gave a false account on November 19th of the movements of Anthony Casserly, who has since been charged with the murder.

Detective Sergeant John Conway told the court Ms O’Connor had no reply when the charge was put to her at Ronanstown Garda station.

The judge agreed to order her to surrender her passport within 24 hours to gardaí and to sign on once a week at a garda station.

Ms O’Connor did not address the court but her solicitor Simon Fleming confirmed she would bring her passport to Ronanstown Garda station.

Detective Garda Marcus Rowntree told Judge Jones that Mark Casserly also made no reply.

He faces two charges for giving false accounts to gardaí, on December 5th and December 12th, of the movements of Anthony Casserly.

Judge Jones ordered Mark Casserly, who did not have a passport, not to apply for travel documents and to undertake not to leave the jurisdiction. He was also ordered to sign on once a week at a Garda station and to give gardaí his mobile phone number.

Legal aid was granted. Bail was set at €100 each.

Two other men are already before the courts in relation to Mr Whelan’s death.

Anthony Casserly (23) and Christopher Moran (50) both from Rowlagh Park in Clondalkin were charged in December in connection with the murder.