Wednesday 28 October 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. 4674Murder

Judge instructs jury in Ruth Lawrence murder trial

Mr Justice Tony Hunt charged the jury in the trial of Ruth Lawrence, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O’Connor. The jury can return alternative verdicts of assisting an offender if the prosecution does not prove its joint enterprise case beyond reasonable doubt.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court5 Nov
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatRuth Lawrence has pleaded not guilty to murdering Anthony Keegan and Eoin O’Connor. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe bodies of Anthony Keegan and Eoin O’Connor were found on a lake island in the midlands. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murders are alleged to have taken place between April 22nd, 2014 and May 26th, 2014. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeA witness gave evidence that Ms Lawrence told her she had shot Mr O’Connor, but it went wrong. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationTwo protected witnesses, Jason and Stacey Symes, came forward to gardaí in 2014 and gave voluntary statements. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThere are two murder counts, one for Eoin O’Connor and one for Anthony Keegan. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice Tony Hunt delivered his charge to the 12-person jury on Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury can return alternative verdicts of assisting an offender. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGuilt for murder on joint enterprise requires a concrete role in the killing and a purpose to deliberately assist it. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe defence attacked the reliability of the main witness, Stacey Symes, in its closing speech. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMs Lawrence was extradited from South Africa to face trial in 2023. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Nov2025
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Judge instructs jury in Ruth Lawrence murder trial what to consider before reaching verdict

    Reports the judge's charge to the jury, including the joint enterprise test, the alternative verdict of assisting an offender, and the direction that the two murder counts be considered separately.

    accused, Ruth Lawrence, 46, female, named, irish (judged from name)Ruth Lawrencevictim, Anthony Keegan, 33, male, irish (judged from name)Anthony Keeganvictim, Eoin O'Connor, 32, male, irish (judged from name)Eoin O'Connorsuspect, Neville van der Westhuizen, named, non-irish (judged from name)Neville van der Westhuizen