Barrister accused of murder may face further charges, court told

A senior barrister accused of murdering a man in a shooting on farmland in Dublin may face further charges, a court has heard. Law professor Diarmuid Rossa Phelan (53) is charged with the murder of father-of-four Keith Conlon, at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, on February 22nd.

After the shooting of his dog, Mr Conlon, from Kiltalown Park in Tallaght, was shot in the back of the head during the incident on Mr Phelan’s farm. The dog breeder was taken to Tallaght University Hospital but died two days later.

The High Court refused Mr Phelan bail in March, but the following month the Court of Appeal overturned that decision and released him on a €100,000 bond with a range of conditions.

His case was listed again at Dublin District Court on Monday.

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State solicitor Tom Conlon told Judge Bryan Smyth the matter was back for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). However, he added that they had not been finalised and asked for the case to go back to September.

Defence solicitor Donough Molloy told the court his client, who sat in the front row of the public gallery, was “anxious for the book of evidence to be served as soon as possible”.

Garda Sgt Michael McGrath, the investigating officer, told Judge Smyth a file was sent to the DPP in February with a recommendation about further charges. “I’m told the file is with the director for consideration of same,” he added.

Judge Smyth adjourned the case, which will be listed again on July 25th, but only for “variation of bail” on that date.