Alison O’RiordanA judge has told a jury that the cold case trial of 74-year-old Noel Long may be the oldest murder prosecution in the State’s history, and they should bear in mind it is much more difficult for an accused to meet an old case. The trial has heard that a partial DNA profile generated from semen obtained from the victim’s body 42 years ago had matched DNA found on a beanie hat taken from Mr Long in 2021. The judge told the jury it was an old case and there is no statute of limitations for murder in this country. He said there was no evidence Mr Long and the victim knew each other but that intentions can be formulated in advance or within a short period prior to a killing or at a time of killing. In his closing address, defence counsel Michael Delaney SC said the case was wholly dependent on forensic science and there was nothing else to connect Mr Long to the deceased.

Source: The Herald August 02, 2023 21:17 UTC