Hasan Ali Gori convicted of murdering 89-year-old Josephine Ray in Nenagh, Tipperary
A jury found Hasan Ali Gori, 52, guilty by an 11-1 majority of strangling Josephine 'Josie' Ray at her Nenagh home. A mandatory life sentence is expected.
Majority verdict returned after three-week Limerick trial
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has convicted Hasan Ali Gori, 52, of the murder of 89-year-old Josephine 'Josie' Ray at her home in St Joseph's Park, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, the Irish Times reports.
Gori, a native of Chad with an address in Nenagh, showed no reaction when the 11-1 majority verdict was read out shortly after 2pm on Tuesday, following a three-week trial held in Limerick. The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for a total of eight hours and fifty-two minutes before returning its finding.
Justice Seán Gillane was expected to impose the mandatory life sentence for murder later on Tuesday afternoon, after the court heard victim impact statements from Ms Ray's family.
"She didn't go down without a fight"
State pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney gave evidence that Ms Ray died of strangulation and smothering. She sustained two broken bones in her neck and 44 bruises across her head, neck, face, shoulders, chest, arms and legs.
Senior prosecuting counsel Lorcan Connolly told the jury in his closing address: "Josie Ray didn't go down without a fight." He argued that bruising to her forearms was evidence of a struggle as she tried to fend off her attacker. Ms Ray's arms were found upright by her face when her body was discovered in her bed on 4 August 2024.
Connolly described it as "significant" that Gori's DNA was recovered from Ms Ray's right hand and from beneath her fingernails. "Unbeknownst to himself, Hasan Ali Gori left his calling card, his DNA under Josie's fingernails," he told the jury.
Motive and opportunity
The prosecution argued Gori had both motive and opportunity to commit the murder. Ms Ray's daughter, Mary Ray, has an intellectual disability and was described in evidence as a "vulnerable" adult. Gori had been in a relationship with Mary and, prior to the killing, had moved into the family home after living in a hostel.
Ms Ray had not approved of the relationship. Connolly argued that Gori was at risk of being evicted and of losing access to social welfare payments linked to a disability allowance claimed by Mary Ray.
On the night before the killing, neighbours reported seeing Gori headbutt Mary Ray and state he was "sick" of living with her mother, adding that either he or Josie Ray would have to leave the house. Gardaí had previously attended the property following complaints from neighbours about persistent arguments there.
Defence challenged the evidence
Gori's senior counsel, Aidan Doyle, told the jury a former neighbour had described Josie and Mary Ray as "constantly rowing before Gori came on the scene." That neighbour also recalled witnessing Mary Ray threaten her mother with a knife approximately nine years earlier.
Doyle highlighted testimony from Carmel Ray, a sister of Mary Ray, who described Mary as "very kind and shy" but said she sometimes "couldn't control her emotions." Carmel Ray told the court Mary had assaulted another sibling as a teenager, and that on a separate occasion it took five gardaí to restrain her.
"If you think it's even possible that Mary did it, you have to acquit," Doyle told jurors.
The jury rejected that argument, returning the guilty verdict by a margin of 11 to 1.
Justice's remarks to jury
Following the verdict, Justice Gillane thanked the jury for what he described as "very very difficult work" and commended the care they had brought to their task. "It's not easy work, it is fundamental to democracy," he said. "Thank you on behalf of the community for the care with which you brought to your task."
Source: Irish Times