A WOMAN accused of murdering her husband at their Westmeath home 22 years ago has been remanded on continuing bail.
Vera McGrath appeared at Longford District Court yesterday one week after being charged at Mullingar Garda station with the murder of 43-year-old Brendan McGrath at Lower Coole, on a date between March 16th and April 18th, 1987.
Judge John Neilan heard that the 60-year-old had been granted High Court bail on Monday with no conditions attached. The issue of legal aid was again deferred.
He granted a request by Det Insp Martin Cadden that she be remanded to appear at Mullingar District Court on June 18th where she and a co-defendant will be served with the book of evidence.
When asked if she had any objection to the date, Ms McGrath replied “No”.
Colin Pinder (46), of Lorne Street, Liverpool, England, was charged with the same offence in early February.
Ms McGrath has an address at Lower Coole in Westmeath. Mr McGrath disappeared in early 1987. Bones believed to be his were found six years later buried on land close to his home but were not identified until May of last year with the aid of modern forensic science methods. At Longford District Court last week, concerns were raised by Ms McGrath’s solicitor Paul Moore that she might not get a fair trial because of “grossly irresponsible press coverage” before she was charged.
He said that “absolutely definitive statements” had been published suggesting she was guilty of the offence before the court and highlighted that “the place for adjudication is before a court of law, not in a newspaper”.
At that sitting Judge Neilan offered Ms McGrath the opportunity of using a “protected exit” to avoid the press as she left the court.