Kilrush man charged with fatal stabbing remanded in custody

Robbie Walsh fails in bail application over Karl Haugh’s assault

The Kilrush man charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 25-year-old Kilkee man Karl Haugh was yesterday further remanded in custody.

At a sitting of Ennis District Court yesterday, Robbie Walsh (21) of Island View, Kilrush appeared via video-link from Limerick prison after being last week charged with assault causing serious harm to Mr Haugh at the Marian Estate in Kilkee on August 6th contrary to Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Mr Haugh sustained a single stab wound to the back and was brought by ambulance to Limerick University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6am on August 6th.

When charged last Monday week, Mr Walsh replied, “Nobody was meant to die that night.”

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Mr Walsh failed in an application for bail last week after gardaí outlined several concerns to court if Mr Walsh were to be granted bail.

In court yesterday, Insp Tom Kennedy applied for Mr Walsh to be remanded in custody to Ennis District Court to September 6th and to appear via video-link.

Mr Walsh spoke from Limerick prison yesterday only to confirm his identity to the court and that he could see and hear the court proceedings.

Solicitor for Mr Walsh, Edel Ryan, said the remand in custody was on consent.

Judge Marie Keane remanded Mr Walsh in custody for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to be in court for September 6th.

The court was told last week that Mr Walsh is a drug addict and is a user of cocaine, xanax and cannabis.

Karl Haugh was the second child of the Haughs to die in tragic circumstances and last Wednesday he was buried alongside his 16-year-old sister, Stacey, at Lisdeen cemetery outside Kilkee.

Eleven-year-old Karl was given only a 20 per cent chance of living and underwent heart surgery in a crash in October 2003 that claimed the life of Stacey and her friend and neighbour, Lorna Mahoney (13).

In their letter read out mourning the loss of their only surviving child, Bridget and Joseph said to Karl: “You are with Stacey now, please give her a kiss from us.”

The couple said: “Karl, we will always love you. Our house will never be the same without you.”

In the past number of months, Karl became a father for the first time to baby Evelyn.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times