Robert Broughan jailed for life for beating best friend Roy Hopkins to death with petrol-soaked baseball bat in Rathangan
Robert Broughan, a 30-year-old man (listed as 34 in case records), was found guilty of beating his best friend Roy Hopkins to death with a petrol-soaked baseball bat in Rathangan, County Kildare, on 31 July 2020, after the pair had set out on a fishing trip. Broughan told gardaí he wanted to kill another person and that his sole intention was to kill Hopkins, and he later texted Hopkins's phone asking 'how is the head?' He was taken into custody on 1 August 2020 and admitted to the killing in his Garda interviews. A jury at the Central Criminal Court found him guilty of murder on 28 February 2025 after 2 hours and 53 minutes, rejecting a diminished responsibility defence based on psychosis, and he was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment on 7 April 2025, backdated to his initial custody date.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced7 Apr
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Broughan beat Roy Hopkins to death with a petrol-soaked baseball bat after the pair had set out on a fishing trip.
- Where
- Rathangan, County Kildare.
- When
- 31 July 2020.
- Weapon
- A baseball bat soaked in petrol, which Broughan had placed on top of a shed at his home before the killing.
- Cause
- Broughan told gardaí he wanted to kill another person and had swung the bat with bad intentions and power, and that his sole intention was to kill Hopkins.
- Investigation
- Broughan admitted to the murder in his Garda interviews, including stating in his fifth interview that he took three or four Solpadeine tablets beforehand.
- Charges
- Murder of Roy Hopkins.
- In court
- A jury at the Central Criminal Court found Broughan guilty of murder on 28 February 2025 after 2 hours and 53 minutes, despite a psychiatrist initially finding him qualified for a diminished responsibility defence based on psychosis.
- Sentence
- Broughan was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment on 7 April 2025, backdated to 1 August 2020 when he went into custody.
- Other details
- Broughan had three previous convictions from one incident including criminal damage with a €200 fine, and two public order incidents for threatening and abusive behaviour and intoxication.
- Broughan had addictive issues with Codeine and Solpadeine and would take excessive amounts.
- Broughan was badly burned in a bonfire as a 10-year-old, was in hospital for a year, and had numerous skin grafts.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whatBroughan told gardaí he wanted to kill another person. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBroughan put petrol on the baseball bat before leaving it on top of a shed at his home. (irishtimes.com)
- whatIn his fifth interview, Broughan said he took three or four Solpadeine tablets before killing his friend. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury took 2 hours and 53 minutes to find Broughan guilty of murdering Hopkins on 28 February 2025. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA psychiatrist initially found Broughan qualified for a defence of diminished responsibility based on psychosis. (irishtimes.com)
- courtBroughan gave a full account of and admitted to the murder in his Garda interviews. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceBroughan was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe sentence was backdated to 1 August 2020 when he went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBroughan has three previous convictions from one incident, including criminal damage with a €200 fine. (irishtimes.com)
- otherTwo public order incidents for threatening and abusive behaviour and intoxication were taken into consideration. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBroughan had addictive issues with Codeine and Solpadeine and would take excessive amounts. (irishtimes.com)
- otherBroughan was badly burned in a bonfire as a 10-year-old, was in hospital for a year and had numerous skin grafts. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Apr2025‘I’m haunted by the horror of it’: Mother of murder victim describes impact on family as killer is jailed
Sentencing hearing with victim-impact statement from Catriona Hopkins; details of Broughan's admissions to gardaí, his prior convictions, drug use, and the failed diminished responsibility defence.
victim, Roy Hopkins, 34, male, irish (judged from name)Roy Hopkinsconvicted, Robert Broughan, 34, male, named, irish (judged from name)Robert Broughanvictim, Catriona Hopkins, female, irish (judged from name)Catriona Hopkins