DNA advances 'not enough for new probe'

THE State has argued that technological advancements in DNA analysis are not enough reason to support a reexamination of the evidence that grounded a man's conviction for the rape and murder of a schoolgirl 28 years ago.

- BY RYAN DUNNE

Barristers for the State pointed out that when John McDonagh, 51, first launched an appeal in 2007 against his conviction for the rape and murder of Siobhan Hynes in 1998, he made no application for retesting evidence in line with the science then available.

However, lawyers for McDonagh have said that testimony from a forensic expert shows there is a reasonable possibility of a new result being obtained from evidence retested in line with modern scientific methods.

McDonagh was 27 when he was convicted in 2001 by a Central Criminal Court jury of the rape and murder of Ms Hynes, 17, of Sconse, Lettermore, Connemara, who was found dead at Tismeain beach in Keeraunbeg in the early hours of December 6, 1998.