THE TRIAL starts today in the Central Criminal Court of Éamon Lillis, accused of murdering his wife Celine Cawley at their home at Windgate Road, Howth, just over a year ago.
The trial opens in the new Criminal Court Complex, which becomes fully operational today.
The murder took place on December 15th, 2008, when Ms Cawley’s body was discovered behind the house. Officers arrived at the premises on Windgate Road, on Howth Head, shortly after 10am that morning, in response to a 999 call made to the fire brigade.
Gardaí discovered the woman in her 40s in a comatose condition, lying in the back patio area of the house. She was given first aid at the scene and was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Ms Cawley was managing director of Toytown Productions, a commercial production company. Before that she had been a successful model.
Toytown acquired clients such as Carlsberg, Guinness, Volkswagen and McDonald’s. Mr Lillis was a producer with the company and the couple have a teenage daughter.
Mr Lillis told gardaí he returned home from his morning walk with the family dog at about 10am and disturbed the attacker. Detectives were told the killer ran from the back of the house into a laneway.
The brutal murder on the Hill of Howth in the days before Christmas initially prompted fear in the area, as the scene was sealed off and the area was inundated with gardaí.
Four days after the discovery of the body, Mr Lillis was arrested and charged with the murder. He was granted bail on December 30th, 2008, but was not released until January 5th, 2009, when he raised his own bond of €150,000 and an independent surety of €50,000.
The trial is expected to last for two to three weeks.