Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0772Murder · Co. Meath · 6 Mar 2013

Appeal dismissed in Gormanston murder case

Peter Butterly, a 35-year-old dissident republican and father of three, was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn pub in Gormanston, Co Meath, on 6 March 2013. Dean Evans, who pleaded guilty to the murder, fired the three fatal shots, while Kevin Braney, Sharif Kelly, and Edward McGrath were also convicted by the Special Criminal Court. Kelly was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2017, and Braney was found guilty in February 2019. In June 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed Braney's appeal, upholding the admissibility of a KFC surveillance recording used as evidence at his trial.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court4 Feb
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Peter Butterly, a dissident republican and father of three, was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn pub in Gormanston, Co Meath, in view of students waiting for their school bus.
  • Dean Evans, who pleaded guilty to the murder, fired the three fatal shots into Butterly.
  • Sharif Kelly was to be the driver of the getaway car but was caught by gardaí when he arrived at the meet-up point.
When
Butterly was shot dead shortly after 2pm on 6 March 2013.
Cause
Butterly died from gunshot wounds to his neck and upper back.
In court
  • Kevin Braney, described as the leader of the New IRA in Dublin, was found guilty of murder by the Special Criminal Court in February 2019.
  • The Court of Appeal dismissed Braney's appeal in June 2026, upholding the admissibility of the KFC surveillance recording.
Sentence
Kelly was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in April 2017.
Charges
David Cullen pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on the day of the shooting.
Investigation
Gardaí used the Criminal Law (Surveillance) Act 2009 to authorise a listening device at a KFC in Charlestown Shopping Centre, Finglas, without a District Court application.
Other details
Braney had originally sought to advance 51 grounds of appeal.
38 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatKelly pleaded not guilty to the murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe killing was in view of students waiting for their schoolbus. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatButterly was a dissident republican and a father of three. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKelly was to be the driver of the getaway car but was caught by gardaí when he arrived at the meet-up point. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDean Evans, who pleaded guilty to the murder, fired the three fatal shots into Butterly. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatKevin Braney is described as a murderer and leader of the New IRA in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBraney met five others at a KFC restaurant in Charlestown Shopping Centre, Finglas, the day after the fatal shooting. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí used legislation under the Criminal Law (Surveillance) Act 2009 to authorise the listening device without a District Court application. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatButterly was lured to a meeting at the Huntsman Inn where he was chased and shot dead in the car park in view of students waiting for their school bus. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatEvans and McGrath were the gunmen who ambushed Butterly, and Evans fired the three fatal shots. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí used a surveillance device to listen in on Braney at a KFC in Charlestown Shopping Centre, Finglas. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatButterly was lured to a meeting at the Huntsman Inn where he was chased and shot dead in view of students waiting for their schoolbus. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
  • wherePeter Butterly was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn pub in Gormanston, Co Meath. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe superintendent who authorised the surveillance was in Laytown, Co Meath, when he became aware of the meeting in Charlestown. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereBraney is of Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, Dublin 24. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenKelly was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court in April 2017. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenButterly was shot dead shortly after 2pm on 6 March 2013. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenKelly unsuccessfully appealed his conviction in April 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred on 6 March 2013. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe superintendent became aware of the opportunity to record at 11.50 in the morning. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeButterly died from gunshot wounds to his neck and upper back. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeButterly, the father of three, died from gunshot wounds to his neck and upper back. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí used the Criminal Law (Surveillance) Act 2009 to authorise the listening device without a District Court application. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeCullen pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on the day of the shooting. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeDoyle pleaded guilty to 29 sample charges in July 2024 on offences of deception, corruption and money laundering between 2018 and 2020. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Supreme Court refused permission to appeal, determining that matters of general public importance concerning the admissibility of accomplice-type evidence are primarily for the trial court to analyse. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBraney was tried at the Special Criminal Court in 2019 for the murder of Peter Butterly. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBalbriggan District Court was sitting at the time the superintendent authorised the surveillance. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBraney was found guilty of murder by the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court in February 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBraney was found guilty of murder by the Special Criminal Court in February 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceCullen was sentenced in July 2014 to seven years in prison, with 3½ years suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceDoyle was jailed for three years with the final six months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceCullen pleaded guilty to a firearms offence and received a sentence of three years and six months. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceBefore the murder conviction, Braney was sentenced in 2018 to four years and six months after being found guilty of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceBefore his murder conviction, Braney was sentenced in 2018 to four years and six months for IRA membership. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherCullen was admitted into the witness security programme. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBraney had originally sought to advance 51 grounds of appeal. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 Jun2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Murderer’s privacy rights not breached by surveillance at KFC, court rules

    Court of Appeal dismissed Braney's appeal against his 2019 murder conviction, upholding the admissibility of a KFC surveillance recording and rejecting arguments about NSU officer anonymity and the accomplice evidence of David Cullen.

    convicted, Kevin Braney, 49, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kevin Braneyvictim, Peter Butterly, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Peter Butterlyaccused, David Cullen, named, irish (judged from name)David Cullen
  2. 21 Mar2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Privacy rights of murderer ‘breached when gardaí used surveillance to listen to him at KFC’, Court of Appeal hears

    Second day of Braney's Court of Appeal hearing; argument focused on lawfulness of surveillance device authorisation under the Criminal Law (Surveillance) Act 2009; also addressed admissibility of State's witness David Cullen's evidence; judgment reserved by Ms Justice Kennedy, Mr Justice MacGrath and Mr Justice O'Moore.

    victim, Peter Butterly, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Peter Butterlyconvicted, Kevin Braney, 49, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kevin Braneyconvicted, Edward McGrath, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Edward McGrathconvicted, Sharif Kelly, 54, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sharif Kellyconvicted, Dean Evans, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Evansaccused, David Cullen, male, named, irish (judged from name)David Cullen
  3. 4 Feb2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man jailed for murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly refused Supreme Court appeal

    The Supreme Court refused Kelly's application for leave to appeal his murder conviction, finding that the Court of Appeal had applied well-established principles governing the admission of fresh evidence and that the admissibility of accomplice-type evidence is primarily a matter for the trial court.

    victim, Peter Butterly, male, irish (judged from name)Peter Butterlyconvicted, Sharif Kelly, 54, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Sharif Kelly