Thursday 29 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. 8805Murder · Co. Donegal · 25 Jun 2023

Pair's murder convictions over Sliabh Liag killing under Court of Appeal review

On 25 June 2023, after the three had been drinking together, Robert 'Robin' Wilkin, 66, was struck twice on the back of the head with a rock, and his body was thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in Donegal. Gardaí became suspicious after a car used by Alan Vial, 41, and Nikita Burns, 25, crashed with blood stains on its roof, and the Irish Coast Guard recovered Wilkin's body from the sea eight days later. A jury convicted Vial and Burns of murder as part of a joint enterprise to cause serious injury, and they have appealed. The latest development is that the three-judge Court of Appeal heard the appeal and reserved judgment.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted1 Jul
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Alan Vial (41) and Nikita Burns (25) were convicted of the murder of Robert 'Robin' Wilkin (66).
  • Vial and Burns drove Wilkin to the top of the cliffs and threw his body over the edge at Sliabh Liag in Donegal.
When
The three had been drinking together on 25 June 2023.
Cause
Wilkin suffered two blows to the back of the head with a rock.
Weapon
Gardaí found the bloody rock at the top of the cliffs, and DNA testing showed blood and hairs on it belonged to Wilkin.
Investigation
  • Gardaí became suspicious when Vial and Burns later crashed the car, which had blood stains on the roof.
  • Gardaí arrested Vial for drink-driving and seized the car.
  • The Irish Coast Guard recovered Wilkin's body from the sea eight days after he was thrown over the cliffs.
Other details
  • The State Pathologist could not identify a cause of death because of predator damage and decomposition.
  • The article is dated 1 July 2026 in the tracker metadata, but the page shows 23 July 2026 as its publication date.
In court
  • The jury found both Vial and Burns guilty of murder as part of a joint enterprise to cause serious injury to Wilkin.
  • Vial's counsel argued the pair should have been tried separately, and Burns's counsel argued her statements were not voluntary and should not have been heard by the jury.
  • The DPP said the judge's charge to the jury was impeccable.
  • Vial and Burns have argued at the Court of Appeal that their murder convictions should be overturned, and the three-judge court reserved judgment.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAlan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of the murder of Robert ‘Robin’ Wilkin. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatVial and Burns drove Wilkin to the top of the cliffs and threw his body over the edge. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe body was thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in Donegal. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe three had been drinking together on 25 June 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeWilkin suffered two blows to the back of the head with a rock. (thejournal.ie)
  • weaponThe rock used was found by gardaí at the top of the cliffs and was bloody. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí became suspicious when Vial and Burns later crashed the car, which had blood stains on the roof. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested Vial for drink-driving and seized the car. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationThe Irish Coast Guard recovered Wilkin’s body from the sea eight days after he was thrown over the cliffs. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationDNA testing showed blood and hairs on the rock belonged to Wilkin. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe jury found both guilty of murder as part of a joint enterprise to cause serious injury to Wilkin. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtVial and Burns have argued that their murder convictions should be overturned. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtVial’s counsel argued the pair should have been tried separately. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtBurns’s counsel argued her statements were not voluntary and should not have been heard by the jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe DPP said the judge’s charge to the jury was impeccable. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe three-judge Court of Appeal reserved judgment. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe State Pathologist could not identify a cause of death because of predator damage and decomposition. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 Jul2026
    Convictedthejournal.ie, first report
    Pair found guilty of murdering man whose body was thrown over Sliabh Liag cliffs appeal convictions

    Court of Appeal hearing on the convictions of Alan Vial and Nikita Burns; judgment reserved. Adds details of the trial evidence, the post-mortem findings and the appeal arguments.

    convicted, Alan Vial, 41, male, namedAlan Vialconvicted, Nikita Burns, 25, female, named, irish (judged from name)Nikita Burnsvictim, Robert 'Robin' Wilkin, 66, male, irish (judged from name)Robert 'Robin' Wilkin