A man accused of the murder of nanny Aoife Phelan in Co Laois in October has been further remanded in custody and will appear again in court in the new year.
Robert Corbet (24), Timahoe Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, a lorry driver, is accused of murdering Ms Phelan (30) at Capoley, Portlaoise, on October 25th. Her body was found concealed in a bin and buried in a pit outside the Co Laois town on November 7th.
Two days later Mr Corbet was remanded in custody following a brief hearing at Portlaoise District Court.
Mr Corbet, wearing a navy suit and white shirt, appeared yesterday at Cloverhill District Court before Judge Gráinne Malone.
At his first court hearing there had been a Garda objection to free legal aid on the grounds that Mr Corbet owned a haulage business.
However last month Judge Malone was told the objection was being dropped as “the haulage business is in the process of being wound up”.
Colm Hennessy, defending, consented yesterday to a request by Det Garda John Healy for a four-week remand.
Judge Malone remanded Mr Corbet in continuing custody to appear again on January 10th.