Man convicted over robbery at home of farmer (81)

A jury has convicted a man of the aggravated burglary, assault and robbery of an 81-year old farmer in north Dublin in July 2016.

Adam Marlowe (23) of Walkinstown Drive, Walkinstown, Dublin had pleaded not guilty to aggravated burglary and assaulting Malachy Turley causing him harm at Kettles Lane, Kinsealy, Dublin, on July 29, 2016.

After a four day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury of eight men and two women returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts. The jury had deliberated for approximately one hour.

Judge Melanie Greally remanded Mr Marlowe in custody for sentence on July 6th.

The trial heard evidence that Marlowe’s DNA profile was found on blue latex material located in the home of the elderly farmer who was beaten with bats in his bed by three people wearing balaclavas. The material was described as the fingertip of a latex glove.

Antonia Boyle, prosecuting, told the jury that investigators recovered the blue material in Mr Turley’s bedroom and that DNA recovered from this matched the accused.

It was the State’s case that Mr Marlowe was one of the three men who entered the victim’s home, attacked him and robbed him.

With only one piece of DNA evidence available to the jury, Judge Greally had told the jury to approach this evidence with care.