Man convicted of murdering girlfriend's 89-year-old mother in Nenagh, Tipperary
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found Hasan Ali Gori (52) guilty by 11-1 majority of murdering Josephine Ray in her Nenagh home in August 2024.
Guilty verdict in Nenagh murder trial after three-week hearing in Limerick
A jury at the Central Criminal Court found Hasan Ali Gori, 52, guilty of the murder of his then girlfriend's mother, Josephine "Josie" Ray, 89, following a three-week trial held in Limerick, TheJournal.ie reports. The majority verdict of 11-1 was returned on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after 2pm. Gori, a native of Chad with an address in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, showed no reaction as the verdict was read out.
Ms Ray's body was discovered in her bed in a front room at her home at St Joseph's Park, Nenagh, on 4 August 2024. State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney gave evidence that she died of strangulation and smothering. McCartney told the court Ms Ray had sustained two broken bones in her neck and was covered in 44 bruises across her head, neck, face, shoulders, chest, arms and legs.
Prosecution: DNA and signs of a struggle
Senior prosecuting counsel Lorcan Connolly told the jury in his closing address that Ms Ray had fought back against her attacker. "Josie Ray didn't go down without a fight," Connolly said, pointing to bruising on her forearms as evidence of her struggle. Her arms were found upright beside her face when her body was discovered.
Connolly described it as "significant" that Gori's DNA was found on Ms Ray's right hand and beneath her fingernails. "Unbeknownst to himself, Hasan Ali Gori left his calling card, his DNA under Josie's fingernails," the barrister told the jury.
The prosecution argued Gori had both motive and opportunity. Ms Ray had not approved of her daughter Mary's relationship with Gori, who had been living in a hostel before moving into the Nenagh home the mother and daughter shared. Connolly argued Gori was "at risk" of being evicted and of losing social welfare payments connected to a disability allowance claimed by Mary. "He'd struck lucky, he had a roof over his head, he had an attachment to the house, he was at risk of losing the roof over his head and losing the payment from the Department of Social Welfare," Connolly said.
Gardaí had previously attended the property following neighbour complaints of persistent rows involving Josie, Mary and Gori. On the night before Ms Ray's death, neighbours reported witnessing Gori headbutting Mary and stating that either he or Josie would have to leave the house. Connolly also noted that after Ms Ray's death, Gori told Mary to "shut up" when she cried, adding that her mother was "old" and "was going to die anyway."
Defence: alternative theory centred on Mary Ray
Gori's senior counsel, Aidan Doyle, urged the jury to consider whether Mary Ray — who has an intellectual disability and was described in evidence as a "vulnerable" adult — could have been responsible for her mother's death. "If you think it's even possible that Mary did it, you have to acquit," Doyle told the jury.
Doyle drew the jury's attention to testimony from a former neighbour who said Josie and Mary Ray had been "constantly rowing about Mary bringing African men back to the house" prior to Gori's arrival. That same neighbour told the court she had also witnessed Mary threaten Josie with a knife approximately nine years earlier.
Evidence from Carmel Ray, a sister of Mary, 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 during her teenage years, and that on a separate occasion it had taken five gardaí to restrain her. Doyle also cited evidence that Mary had been in a "wound-up state of panic" on the night before the killing because Gori appeared to be leaving.
Doyle challenged the prosecution's decision not to call Mary Ray as a witness. "They didn't call on her, or say why she isn't here to give evidence," he said, noting that people with intellectual disabilities can give evidence in court using established supports.
The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for a total of eight hours and 52 minutes before returning the 11-1 majority verdict.
Life sentence expected
Mr Justice Seán Gillane thanked jurors for what he described as "very very difficult work," telling them the State was "genuinely in your debt" for the care brought to their deliberations. "It's not easy work, it is fundamental to democracy," Justice Gillane said.
Gori was expected to receive the mandatory life sentence for murder later the same afternoon, following victim impact statements from the family of Josephine Ray.
Source: TheJournal.ie