Lyons report to be published next month

The final report into the Dean Lyons case and the circumstances surrounding his confession to the 1997 Grangegorman murders is…

The final report into the Dean Lyons case and the circumstances surrounding his confession to the 1997 Grangegorman murders is expected to be published next month.

The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell received the report from George Birmingham SC this morning.

A statement issued today by the Department of Justice said that the families concerned will "be advised of its contents simultaneously with its publication."

Mr Lyons, who is now deceased, confessed to the murders of Mary Callinan and Sylvia Shiels in their home at Grangegorman psychiatric hospital in March 1997 and was charged in July the same year.

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Another man, Mark Nash, who is now serving life for the murder of a young couple in Roscommon, also confessed to the killings in August 1997 but was never charged after he withdrew his statement.

Seven months after his confession, the charges against Mr Lyons were dropped. He has since died in England.

Mr Birmingham's commission was independent and had full statutory powers to investigate and take sworn evidence.

The Department said that it was not yet in a position to comment on the accuracy of articles printed in the media today but warned that anyone who discloses "the report or part thereof commits an offence.

"This offence applies to individuals and to body corporates and attracts a fine of up to €300,000 and, in the case of an individual, imprisonment up to five years," the statement concluded.