A 24-year-old Tipperary man who beat a woman to death in a Limerick hotel room just over a year ago has been jailed for life by the Central Criminal Court.
Gerard McGrath, of Ballywalter, Cashel, pleaded guilty to murdering Sylvia Roche Kelly at The Clarion Hotel, Steamboat Quay, Limerick on December 8th, 2007.
Mr Justice Barry White imposed the mandatory life sentence and said McGrath had taken the life of an innocent woman.
The court heard that Mrs Roche Kelly from Clare was 34 at the time of her death. She had gone out with her sister and a friend in Limerick to celebrate her birthday and met the defendant in a night club.
She agreed to go back to his hotel room where he violently beat her and then choked her to death. Her naked body was found lying face down in the bath by hotel staff the following afternoon.
McGrath was listed for trial today but pleaded guilty before a jury was sworn in. Mr Justice White heard that Ms Roche Kelly was the mother of a 13 year-old son and four year old daughter and was separated from her husband when she was killed.
Detective Sergeant Kevin McHugh told Shane Murphy SC, prosecuting, that McGrath was unemployed and was drinking with a friend in Limerick on a Friday night. He had planned to back to Cashel but decided to stay and checked into The Clarion Hotel.
Ms Roche Kelly, who ran a picture frame business from her home in Clare, met McGrath in 'Ted's' night club. Det Sgt. McHugh said they had a conversation and the deceased agreed to go back to McGrath's hotel.
Det Sgt McHugh said gardai viewed CCTV footage of the pair walking hand in hand through the streets. They arrived at the hotel at 3 a.m. Staff became suspicious at 1 p.m. when McGrath failed to check out.
CCVT showed McGrath leaving the hotel at around 11 a.m. He left the country but returned three days later and was arrested. He told gardaí that he had had sex with the victim and then had a conversation during which he became enraged by comments.
He admitted that he hit her in the face, pulled her hair, put his hands around her neck and throttled her in the bed. He also said he may have kicked her between the legs with some force. He then moved her body to the bath.
Ms Roche Kelly was found face down in the bath with her arms by her side and her hands underneath her. Two blood stained towels were found at her head and shoulders. Blood was also found on the bed and on the carpet beside the bed.
A post mortem examination revealed extensive bruising to the deceased's upper body, face and head. She suffered a broken nose, finger tip bruises to her arms and thighs, a severe laceration to her vagina and compression of her neck. The court heard Mrs Roche Kelly suffered a "vigorous and serious assault" and the
cause of death was manual asphyxiation.
Gardai found DNA evidence confirming a sexual encounter and McGrath's fingerprints were found on the bath.
Det Sgt McHugh agreed with Mr Murphy that McGrath had one previous conviction for assaulting a female taxi driver causing her harm in April 2007 and was on bail for that offence when he killed Mrs Roche Kelly. He was sentenced to nine months in January 2008.
Sergeant Ronan McDonagh read statements from the victim's parents and husband.
Defence Counsel, Patrick Gageby SC, read a letter from his client in which McGrath said he was "truly sorry" and would never forgive himself. He said he "could only start to imagine" the pain and hurt he had caused.
Outside court solicitor Gwen Bowen made a statement on behalf of Ms Roche Kelly's family in which she said the deceased was a "warm, caring and wonderful mother" who was "loving enthusiastic and exuberant". Her family and community had suffered a "profound loss" and the impact of the sudden loss on her children was "immeasurable".