Tralee murder trial: Movement of three vans in convoy from graveyard described in detailed presentation

The movement of three vans “travelling together from Tralee in convoy” from the murder scene at a graveyard within moments of it occurring was described in a detailed presentation to the jury at the Central Criminal Court today. 

Prosecution senior counsel Dean Kelly said civilian member of An Garda Síochána, Lisa Collins, was presenting a forensic analysis of the movements of a number of vehicles – in particular three vans, a grey Ford Transit, a white Renault Traffic and a white Peugeot Partner. 

The civilian employee of An Garda Síochána gave the presentation by reference to maps, CCTV images and videos and some phone GPS data, in what Mr Kelly described as a synthesis of a complex body of evidence.

Ms Collins said the late Tom Dooley arrived at Rathass cemetery at 11.43 am on the morning in question and “the time of the murder” was put at 11.45 am. She said the analysis showed the Transit, the Renault Traffic and the Peugeot travelling from Tralee towards Cork city after 11.45 am – “all three vehicles travelling together from Tralee in convoy until just outside Castleisland… all three vehicles take off in the direction of Castleisland.” 

She said the order of the vans was initially the Transit first followed by the Peugeot and the Renault and that after some minutes the order changed to the Peugeot first followed by the Renault and the Transit. After Castleisland, the Transit and the Peugeot travelled in the same direction and the Renault travelled in a different direction.

By 1.20pm lunchtime on that day the Renault passed the Angler’s Rest pub/restaurant and 40 seconds later the Transit passed the same premises outside Cork city. The Peugeot van was stopped at Old Fort Road in Ballincollig at 2.39 pm.

Earlier in her evidence, Ms Collins described the journeys taken by the vans to Tralee that morning and who was travelling in them according to garda analysis of information including CCTV. 

She said Thomas Dooley Sr and Michael Dooley were in the Transit. Ms Collins said, Patrick Dooley was in the Renault and drove to Daniel Dooley’s house where Daniel “walks and carries an item in his hand, enters the white Renault Traffic van which then leaves the estate.” 

She describes Thomas Dooley Jr and the teenager in the case being seen exiting the Peugeot in the car park of Kelleher’s across the street from Rathass cemetery.

The murder trial will go into its 22nd day tomorrow before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of two women and twelve men (including two substitute jurors) at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

All six of the accused who are on trial deny the charge of murdering 43-year-old Tom Dooley from Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, at New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, on October 5, 2022. Five defendants in the case – all with the surname Dooley – Patrick, 36, from Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Thomas Sr, 43, from the halting site, Carrigrohane Road; Thomas Jr, 21, from the halting site, Carrigrohane, Cork; Michael, 29, of the halting site, Carrigrohane, Cork, and Daniel, 42, of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, Tralee, County Kerry, are on trial, as is the sixth defendant who is a teenager.

Only 21-year-old Thomas Dooley Jr. faces the second charge that he intentionally or recklessly caused serious harm to Siobhán Dooley, the wife of the deceased man. He also denies this count.