A man arrested by gardai early yesterday morning has been charged with murdering Galway teenager Ms Siobhan Hynes last December. Mr John McDonagh (25), with an address in Keeraunbeg, Carraroe, Co Galway, said "no" when the murder charge and a second serious charge were put to him. He was brought before Athboy District Court, Co Meath, and remanded in custody to appear in Galway District Court next Wednesday. Garda Supt Jim Sugrue, Salthill station, told the court he arrested Mr McDonagh yesterday morning at Ballygoran near Maynooth and took him to Trim Garda station where he charged him with the murder of the 17-year-old. He also charged him with a second serious offence. He is charged that on the 6th December 1998 at Keeraunbeg, Carraroe he murdered Ms Hynes. The second serious offence is alleged to have occurred at the same location on the same date. In reply to both charges Mr McDonagh said "no".
Supt Sugrue asked Judge John Brophy to remand Mr McDonagh in custody to appear in Galway District Court next Wednesday. When asked by the judge if he had anything to say to this, McDonagh said "no".
His solicitor, Ms Cora Higgins, said she was applying for bail but Supt Sugrue objected, saying it could be granted only by the High Court. Judge Brophy refused the application in view of the nature of the charges and said 48 hours' notice of any bail application should be given to Supt Sugrue. He remanded Mr McDonagh in custody to Galway District Court.