A 27-year-old Dublin man has gone on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his parents. John Francis Dolan of Ravensdale Road in the East Wall area of Dublin pleaded not guilty to the murder of John and Gertrude Dolan of the same address in June 1999.
John Dolan was in his 70s, his wife Gertrude in her mid 50s. They are believed to have died between 16-19 June 1999. However, it was 9 to 12 days later when a brother of Gertrude discovered the bodies in their Dublin home. John Francis was the Dolan's son. He lived with his parents and was in the house when Gertrude's brother discovered the bodies. Today, he stood accused of the murder of his parents. He has pleaded not guilty.
Giving evidence today were two of Gertrude's brothers, Frank and Michael Power. Frank Power lived just down the road from his sister and saw her regularly. Frank's brother Michael agreed that the family was a close knit one and they became concerned when Gertrude did not turn up for a family visit to their other sister in hospital. The following day, after calling several times, Frank Power called again and met his nephew Frankie. He said when he asked where his sister was, he claims, John Francis told him that they had gone away. Frank looked into the parlour room and saw a duvet covering something on the floor but he said it was the smell that got him. He left the house and called his brother Michael. The two returned to the house and Michael lifted the sheet to discover his sister's body.
Michael then asked his nephew what happened and in court today, he said that Frankie told him that 'There was an argument and I stabbed them'. When asked by defence lawyers he agreed that Frankie was crying after giving this information. The Gardaí were phoned and Michael then told his nephew that he would have to tell Gardaí everything. A Garda McEvinchy told the court that the bodies were badly decomposed when he saw them that night. The case was has now gone into legal argument which is expected to last two days.
