High Court ReportersA convicted murderer who strangled his former girlfriend to death in the grounds of a Co Clare church has gone to court seeking to be let out of prison. Raymond Donovan claims his jail term has expired because he says his life sentence is limited to 20 years' imprisonment. However, Donovan submits that while his appeal was unsuccessful, "as my conviction was not overturned, the Court of Criminal Appeal substituted my sentence of life imprisonment to one of 20 years". In statements to gardaí, Donovan said he loved Ms Walsh and did not mean to kill her. Supt Joseph McKeown, who led the investigation, said Ms Walsh was "brutally killed in a vicious and cowardly attack".

Source: The Herald January 16, 2026 20:06 UTC