09/05/2008

Waterford Bus Driver Found Not Guilty Of Wife's Murder

A Waterford bus driver has been found not guilty of the murder of his wife in 2006.

John O'Brien, 41, of Ballinakill Downs, denied murdering 35-year-old Meg Walsh.

Her body was discovered in the River Suir two weeks after she was reported missing on October 1, 2006.

The mother of one died as a result of blunt-trauma to the head. It is understood she was struck at least twice with a heavy object.

The jury of seven men and five women found Mr O'Brien - who denied any involvement in his wife's murder - not guilty.

They returned the unanimous verdict after five hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court heard the prosecution's case was based on mostly "circumstantial" evidence.

A murder weapon was never found and the exact location of her death has not been established.

As the verdict was read out, Sasha Keating - Meg Walsh's daughter from her first marriage - burst into tears, as did Mr O'Brien's sisters Teresa and Jackie.

The investigation was one of the largest criminal investigations in Irish history. Thousands of people were involved in the initial search for Meg Walsh, which was treated as a missing person's inquiry, later upgraded to a murder investigation.

(JM)

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