A MAN has been charged with the murder of a woman in Waterford city on Friday afternoon. Mr Anthony Butler (29) was charged with the murder of Ms Sandra Tobin (36) on March 15th at Closegate.
The man, single and a native of Waterford but of no fixed abode, was charged at a special sitting of Waterford District Court yesterday afternoon.
Dressed in a check shirt and dark green trousers, the defendant said nothing throughout the brief hearing but he appeared extremely nervous.
It is believed he went to a Garda station voluntarily in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The arresting officer, Garda Jim Corbett, told the court he charged Mr Butler in Waterford garda station at 9.15 a.m. yesterday with the common law murder of Ms Tobin.
Mr Butler made no reply to the charge.
Legal aid was granted to the unemployed defendant and he was remanded in custody to Cork prison to appear before Waterford District Court next Thursday at 10.30 a.m.
The defendant's solicitor, Mr Brian Swift, told Judge Terence Finn that his client had a real fear about being sent to Cork prison, as there were persons there, he claimed, who were ill disposed towards him.
He asked Judge Finn to make a recommendation that Mr Butler should be transferred to Limerick prison as soon as possible.
Judge Finn replied that he had no power to transfer the defendant. However, he added that he would tell the authorities that they should consider relocation because of the defendant's fear for his own safety.