The High Court has been told convicted killer Eamon Lillis has renounced his right to administer the estate of his late wife Celine Cawley.
When dealing with probate matters today, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill was informed that Lillis, who is serving a sentence of just under seven years at Wheatfield Prison, had consented to his removal as the administrator of Ms Cawley’s will.
The consent was received late last week, the court heard.
Mr Justice O’Neill made an order appointing Ms Cawley’s brother, Chris Cawley, and her sister, Susanna Cawley, as administrators of the deceased’s estate.
Lillis (52) was jailed last month after a jury of six men and six women convicted him of the manslaughter of his wife. The couple have a 17 year old daughter.
Following a 16 day trial, the jury found the State failed to prove Lillis intended to murder Ms Cawley on December 15th, 2008, at their home on Windgate Road, Howth, Co Dublin. They returned a verdict of mansalughter and a sentence of six years and 11 months was later imposed by Mr Justice Barry White.
When sentencing Lillis, the judge said it was clear from the verdict the jury had rejected Lillis’s contention he had no responsibility for his wife’s death.
He told Lillis: “Your expression of remorse rings hollow to me and I consider it to be self-serving in light of the circumstances of the case. I respect your right to plead not guilty but consider that an offer of a plea to manslaughter would have demonstrated true contrition and remorse.”
The judge said he considered it appropriate to have regard to the lies told by Lillis to the Gardai to conceal his involvement and the consequences they had on the Cawley family when sentencing. “It is clear to me from the powerful victim impact report presented by Susanna Cawley that your behaviour has had a devastating effect on people of all ages,” he said.
He added he was also was taking into account factors including Lillis’s previously unblemished character, his age, the intense media coverage surrounding the trial and some three weeks spent in custody last year while awaiting bail.
