Search
24 Oct 2025
Search
24 Oct 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
The case was heard in Naas District Court. File photograph.
A solicitor defending a man accused of murder has once again questioned the reason behind delays in the court case.
Tim Kennelly voiced his concerns while he was representing Pádraig Delaney, with an address listed as 6 The Lane, Eustace Demesne in Naas, but who is currently remanded in custody.
The 44-year-old defendant appeared before Judge Desmond Zaidan via video-link at Naas District Court on Thursday, July 4 last.
Mr Delaney faces an allegation of murdering 37 -year-old Shane Knott between April 3 to April 14 last, at his home address.
Last month, defending barrister Mark Gibbons told the judge that Mr Kennelly instructed him to raise the issue of delay for directions from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and added that Mr Kennelly was seeking for the matter to be struck out.
"I'M AT A LOSS FOR WHY IT'S TAKING SO LONG"
On the latest court date, gardaí told the court that DPP directions were still not yet ready, which Mr Kennelly took issue with.
“It’s not going to go to any court other than the Central Criminal Court (due to the seriousness of the accusation); it’s clear as day!” he told Judge Zaidan: “I’m at a loss for why it’s taking so long.”
Mr Kennelly once again applied for a strike-out, and added: “Let the State come back when they’re ready.”
He also reiterated his client’s defence, in which Mr Delaney maintains that he killed the late Mr Knott in self-defence.
Solicitor Tim Kennelly (File photograph).
Mr Kennelly concluded by asking Judge Zaidan, in the event that he would refuse his strike-out application, to mark the case peremptory against the State.
This means that if the State is not ready on the next date, he will strike the matter out.
A garda who was present in court said that the gardaí compiled a 'very complex' file in relation to the case, hence why it was taking so long to progress.
The garda also said that the file was recently sent to the DPP.
JUDGE'S DECISION
In response, Judge Zaidan said that he would refuse the strike-out application.
However, he added that if DPP directions are not ready on the next date, he would ‘hear out’ Mr Kennelly.
The judge adjourned the case to July 18 for DPP directions.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
