A woman accused of murdering her husband at their Westmeath home 22 years ago has been remanded on continuing bail.
Mrs Vera Grath appeared at Longford District Court yesterday one week after being charged at Mullingar Garda Station with the murder of 43-year-old Brendan Brian McGrath at Lower Coole, Coole on a date between March 16 and April 18 1987.
Judge John Neilan heard the 60-year-old had been granted High Court bail on Monday with no conditions attached. The issue of legal aid was again deferred.
He granted a request by Detective Inspector Martin Cadden that she be remanded to appear at Mullingar District Court on June 18 where she and a co-defendant will both be served with the Book of Evidence.
When asked if she had any objection to the date, Ms McGrath replied “No”.
Colin Pinder (46 ), who lives at 38 Lorne Street, Liverpool 7, in England was charged with the same offence in early February. Ms McGrath has an address at Coole, Lower Coole, in Westmeath.
Mr McGrath disappeared from his home in early 1987. Bones believed to be his were found six years later buried on land close to his home but were not identified until May of last year with the aid of modern forensics.
At Longford District Court last week concerns were raised by Ms McGrath’s solicitor Paul Moore that she might not get a fair trial because of “grossly irresponsible press coverage” in the years before she was charged.
He said that “absolutely definitive statements” had been published indicating that she was guilty of the offence before the court.
Judge Neilan reminded the court that Ms McGrath was innocent of the charges against her until proven guilty and offered her the opportunity of using a “protected exit” to leave the court
