Howth Head murder trial gets under way

A JURY of six men and six women has been selected and sworn in for the trial of a man charged with the murder of his wife at their home in Howth, Co Dublin, just over a year ago.

The trial proper gets under way this morning after the preliminary proceedings yesterday when Eamonn Lillis (51), Windgate Road, Howth, was formally arraigned and heard the charge that he murdered his wife, Celine Cawley, at their home on December 15th, 2008.

It is the first murder trial to take place in the new Courts of Criminal Justice complex.

Mr Lillis had to be arraigned twice as the first arraignment was not heard by the jury panel, watching proceedings on television in a separate room. On each occasion he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Mary Ellen Ring SC, prosecuting, said the couple were directors of Toytown Productions, a commercial production company Windmill Lane in Dublin. She said Ms Cawley’s siblings were solicitors or involved in advertising.