A DUBLIN man has pleaded guilty to murdering 12-year-old Michaela Davis in west Dublin last year.
Jonathan Byrne (20), of Lohunda Downs in Clonsilla, admitted murdering the school girl on August 28th, 2010, at the playing fields on Porterstown Road, Clonsilla.
Michaela’s body was found later that day on a bank of the Royal Canal.
Byrne, dressed in a black suit, stood up to be arraigned at the Central Criminal Court yesterday morning.
He also pleaded guilty to two other serious offences carried out against the child on the same occasion.
An uncle of Michaela moved forward and shouted an obscenity at his niece’s killer.
Mr Justice Paul Carney directed that the uncle be apprehended and placed in a cell until he was ready to deal with him.
This uncle and the victim’s family later apologised for the interruption, with the prosecution explaining that emotions were running high.
The judge agreed to forget about the incident.
Mr Justice Carney remanded Byrne in custody until another sitting on December 12th when a small amount of evidence will be heard before he receives the mandatory life sentence.