Posted by Updated / Tuesday, 10 Mar 2026 14:15
RTÉ Courts Reporter
The jury in a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard a 59-year-old Mayo man met his death in circumstances of “almost indescribable savagery” after he was stabbed 27 times.
A 33-year-old man has gone on trial accused of the murder of John Casserley in Mayo two years ago.
Liam O’Leary, formerly of Kiltimagh in Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Casserley between 23 and 24 October 2024 at an apartment in Tone House, Tone St, Ballina, Co Mayo.
Opening the case for the prosecution today, Senior Counsel Dean Kelly said John Casserley and the accused did not know eachother previously but had become friendly in the weeks before his death.
Mr Casserley, who lived alone in a Peter McVerry Trust apartment, had allowed Liam O’Leary to stay at his home when he needed somewhere to stay for a short time.
The jury heard that on 23 October 2024, neighbours could hear arguing in the apartment and at one point the accused man went to the next apartment and spoke to the woman who lived there.
They were joined by Mr Casserley and “matters became fraught” leading to the woman and her son fleeing their apartment.
Warning: Some readers may find details in this report distressing
Mr Kelly said Mr Casserley was not seen alive after that by anyone other than the accused and when gardaí breached the door of his apartment a short time later, they found Mr Casserley lying naked in the hallway with the accused man standing over him fully clothed.
Mr Kelly said what was known was that Mr Casserley “met his death in circumstances of almost indescribable savagery”.
He said he had been stabbed 27 times and had also suffered multiple blunt force injuries. One of his eyes had been removed and he had stab injuries all over his body including to his genital area.
An almost 20cm blade had been lodged in his mouth and another knife was removed from his anus, Mr Kelly said.
He said all of the facial bones down one side of his face had been fractured and he had stab wounds and injuries all over his body.
Mr Kelly told the jury it would be the most natural thing in the world to feel profound sympathy and horror but said they must do their job coldly and analytically and put any sense of outrage or sympathy utterly out of their minds in assessing the evidence in the case.
Earlier he told the jury that the deceased man, John Casserley, had been born to Irish parents in the UK but had moved to Ireland when his parents returned home and completed his education in Ballhaunis, Co Mayo.
He had lived for a time in the US but had returned to Ireland settled in Ballina in 2014. He was not married and did not have children but had a large extended family.
On the day he died he had spent an “unremarkable day” having gone swimming with a friend, followed by a trip to the supermarket before he returned home with that friend who later left when Mr O’Leary had returned to the apartment.
The jury was told it would hear evidence from the friend and from a neighbour who spoke to the men on the night.
The trial before Ms Justice Melanie Greally is expected to last three weeks.
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