A man whom gardaí believe is the leader of the so-called New IRA in Dublin has been found guilty of the murder of another dissident republican in Co Meath nearly six years ago.
Peter Butterly, 35, was chased and shot dead outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath, in view of students waiting for their school bus on the afternoon of 6 March 2013.
Kevin Braney, 44, of Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, Dublin 2, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Butterly.
Gardaí had the killers under surveillance and while one garda said an act of contrition into the dying man's ear, others followed the car and stopped and arrested the killers.
Delivering judgment today at the non-jury court, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, presiding, sitting with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge James Faughnan, said the court was driven "irresistibly" to the conclusion that Braney was involved in the organisation and planning of Mr Butterly's murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his opening address on 4 October last, prosecuting counsel Paul O'Higgins SC told the court that Braney "is said in effect to have been the man who gave the orders so to speak, and is shown to have had an extensive involvement".
Braney was last year convicted and jailed for IRA membership after threatening an accident victim he would shoot him if he did not withdraw his claim.
Braney is the sixth person to be convicted in relation to the murder of Mr Butterly and the fourth to be convicted of murder.
Two other men are still before the courts in relation to the crime.
Edward McGrath, 37, of Lanndale Lawns, Springfield, Tallaght, Sharif Kelly, 49, of Pinewood Green Road, Balbriggan and Dean Evans, 27, of Grange Park Rise, Raheny, Dublin 5, have all received life sentences at the Special Criminal Court after they were convicted of Mr Butterly's murder.
Mr Braney was remanded in custody for sentencing on Friday, but faces the mandatory term of life in prison.
