Kieran Quilligan was allegedly lured to his death by one of the men accused of murdering him, court hears

47-year-old Kieran Quilligan was lured to his death by one of the men charged with murdering him and then both of the accused ambushed the deceased who was driven from Cork city to a farmyard lane in the boot of a car, the prosecution lawyer claimed today in his closing speech to the jury.

Prosecution senior counsel Donal O’Sullivan began his closing speech to the jury by talking about the law of common design or joint enterprise, saying:

“If there is a plan in existence, if you are part of it, then you are part of all it. Whatever you role is, you may not land the killing blow but you will be guilty of murder.

“Kieran Quilligan was clearly involved in drugs and drug dealing himself and he robbed someone that morning. This is the background of where we are.

“You have a lot of circumstances and when you add all of the circumstances together what do they actually mean? I submit there was a robbery that morning. We heard evidence that John Paul Thornton and Kieran Quilligan robbed Niall Long.

“There is phone contact between Luke Taylor and Niall Long from lunchtime… Where does Luke Taylor go? He goes to Kieran Quilligan’s apartment.

“Kieran Quilligan and Luke Taylor leave the apartment at about half eight that evening and they journey across the city centre.

“At 20.55 there is a call from Niall Long to Luke Taylor for one minute and three seconds. Where are they at 20.55? Outside City Apartments (Sullivan’s Quay). Where is Niall Long? He is driving around by Mahon Link Road. He is on the way.

“There is a call at 21.05 for one minute and 19 seconds. You can seen on CCTV, Luke Taylor’s phone lights up. Niall Long drove from his home in Mahon to a location at the back of St. Fin Barre’s Place. He arrived at 21.05. 

“He reverses into the lane (St Fin Barre’s Place), he is facing out, the boot is facing down. Look at the location – if you were at the bottom of those steps you cannot see the top because it takes a right hand turn. The location is well picked, well chosen.

“At 21.10 Luke Taylor and Kieran Quilligan leave the City Apartments block… you can see the two figures going up the lane. Luke Taylor is not seen on footage again this night. Kieran Quilligan is never seen again… At 21.12 they are at the bottom of the steps. At 21.17 the car is gone. We know from witnesses – they hear loud voices at around quarter past nine – three maybe four men. At 21.15 you can see movement at the back of the car.

“There is no doubt who was in that car at that time – Luke Taylor, Niall Long and Kieran Quilligan, most likely in the boot. Where do they go? They don’t go to someone’s home, they don’t go to the CUH, they don’t go to the Mercy, they go straight to Little Island, to a laneway. Down the laneway to a farm.

“They arrive at the top of that lane at 21.35, 18 minutes after they are gone from St Fin Barre’s Place. They go down to a nice quiet spot. They are back out at 21.56. They are heading home now – 20 minutes later. What is going on?

“When the skeletal remains are found there are 19 broken bones, some showing use of an implement like a hammer. What went on down that lane?

“Luke Taylor lured Kieran Quilligan to his death… They ambushed him. Maybe Kieran Quilligan was not dead when he left St Fin Barre’s Place but he was not in any position to get up and walk away. He was disposed of down that lane (in Little Island).

“You can infer there was some kind of agreement between Luke Taylor and Niall Long… The bare minimum you can be satisfied there was an intention to cause serious injuries but I think the reality is there was the intention to kill him.” 

Mr O’Sullivan said that but for incredible investigative work by gardaí the remains, which were moved to another location in East Cork three days later, were located and it resulted in the trial.

He also said that both defendants lied about various particulars in the course of the investigation.

Concluding his speech he said: “Following a robbery by Kieran Quilligan on Niall Long… later, Luke Taylor, having been contacted by Niall Long, Luke Taylor lures Kieran Quilligan to a perfect lane. He is ambushed by the two of them. He is put in the boot of the car. And they do everything they can to avoid responsibility.” 

28-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial on the same charge of murder. The murder count which each man denies, states that on a date unknown between September 1 2023 and January 29 2024 at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork city he did murder Kieran Quilligan, 47, contrary to Common Law.

The jury will also have to consider closing speeches made by both defence lawyers today.