Man charged with murdering his brother in Portumna

A man appeared in court in Co Galway yesterday charged with murdering his brother.

Laurentino da Silva (45), from Portugal and with an address of Dominick Street, Portumna, Co Galway, was brought before a special sitting of Loughrea District Court. He was charged with murdering his brother, Fernando da Silva (44), at Dominick Street in Portumna on Sunday morning.

Garda Bill O'Gorman told Judge Gerard Furlong that he arrested the accused man at Loughrea Garda station just after midnight on Sunday night and later charged him.

In reply to the charge and speaking through an interpreter, Laurentino da Silva said: "It was in self-defence, I lost control, I lost my mind."

Supt Enda Walsh applied to Judge Furlong to have Mr da Silva remanded in custody.

The accused, a machine operator, will appear before Harristown District Court next Friday.

Defence solicitor John O'Neill said he had no questions at this time and applied for legal aid for his client. Judge Furlong said he would accede to the legal aid application given the serious nature of the charge.

Judge Furlong told Mr O'Neill that he was also acceding to the Garda application to remand the accused in custody.

He said that any application in respect of bail would be a matter for the High Court.

The accused man had a cloth covering his head as he entered and left court.

He did not speak at any stage during the brief hearing except to consult his solicitor and a Portuguese interpreter.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times