One court, two murder accused

One court, two murder accused


Books of evidence due in September

Trevor Quinn

Two men accused of shocking murders in Co Mayo in July stood before a judge in the same district court last week. The victims in these cases, two sets of brothers – one set young, the other old – were found dead in the county last month, causing outpourings of grief throughout the country.
The men accused of those horrific double murders – Sanjeev Chada (43) and Alan Cawley (26) – both appeared before Judge Conal Gibbons in Harristown District Court on Friday, one after the other.
Sanjeev Chada is charged with the murder of his two young sons. Alan Cawley is charged with the murder of two Castlebar pensioners.
Judge Gibbons further remanded both men in custody to Castlerea Prison until books of evidence could be served.

Chada brothers’ case
Mr Chada, who wore jeans and a dark blue jumper over a white T-shirt, kept his head lowered and did not speak during the brief hearing. His defence solicitor, James Hanley, consented to his client being remanded in custody to appear again at Harristown District Court on September 13 when the book of evidence will be served.
Chada is charged with the murder of his two sons, Eoghan (10) and Ruairí (5), after their bodies were found in the boot of a crashed car in Rosbeg, Westport, on July 29.
Unsuspecting local people made the grim discovery after they encountered a single-vehicle crash on the Coast Road at 3.25pm.
Just 24 hours earlier, the boys had been reported missing after they went to a local bowling alley with their father and failed to return to their home in Ballinkillen, Co Carlow. Gardaí had serious concerns for their safety and subsequently issued the first ever national amber alert for missing children.

Blaine brothers’ case
Immediately after Mr Chada’s appearance Alan Cawley stood before Judge Gibbons. Last month, he was charged with the murder of Jack (76) and Tommy Blaine (69) at their Castlebar home in the early hours of Wednesday, July 10.
Cawley, with an address of Four Winds, Corrimbla South, Ballina, was further remanded to appear again at Harristown District Court on September 6. Supt Jim Ryan informed Judge Gibbons that the book of evidence would be ready to be served on that date.
Cawley spoke intermittently with his solicitor Niamh Banbury during the hearing, which lasted about three minutes.
The defendant’s parents were in attendance. They were both very emotional and wiped away tears during the hearing. Mr Cawley was arrested on July 10. He was charged two days later on July 12. On that date, he was jeered as he entered Swinford District Court for his initial remand hearing.
The 26-year-old murder accused appeared in court wearing a red jacket and jeans. He waved at his parents as he was led away from the dock.
During the funeral Mass last month, Fr Michael Farragher, curate of the Castlebar’s Church of the Holy Rosary, said that the murder of the Blaine brothers at their New Antrim Street home had brought horror, shock, disbelief and fear to the county town.