Jury sworn in to hear trial of man accused of murdering Jasmine McMonagle

A jury has been sworn in to hear the trial of a 32-year-old man accused of murdering mother-of-two Jasmine McMonagle in  Donegal four years ago. 

At the Central Criminal Court sitting in Monaghan this morning, Richard Burke (32) pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms McMonagle at Forest Park, Killygordon on January 4, 2019. The accused, with an address of Killygordon, pleaded guilty to manslaughter. 

Mr Burke replied not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter when the single charge on the indictment was read to him by the registrar.  Before the jury was sworn in, Mr Justice Paul Burns told the panel the case relates to a single count of murder. He said at the time, the accused man, Richard Burke, was living in Killygordon and the deceased woman, Jasmine McMonagle was also living in the village at the time. 

Mr Justice Burns told the jury of seven women and five men that were sworn in to hear the case that the trial is expected to last approximately two weeks. Anne-Marie Lawlor SC will open the case for the prosecution this afternoon.