The Court of Appeal heard a procedural application on Friday concerning John Shaw, aged 73, who has been in custody since 1976. Shaw and another man were convicted of two murders committed in Wicklow and Mayo that year and received life sentences in February 1978. Following a Parole Board recommendation in 2016 that Shaw be granted two days of escorted outings annually, the Minister for Justice declined to support this. Shaw subsequently challenged the decision through judicial review in the High Court. Ms Justice Mary Faherty dismissed the application last March, finding fair procedures had been observed. Shaw is now seeking an extension of time to lodge an appeal against that High Court ruling, an application the State opposes. The Court of Appeal fixed 4 February for hearing the extension application.
Source links
Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Ireland’s longest serving prisoner to appeal failed High Court bid for limited release - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Fri, 18 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMT
- State’s longest-serving prisoner in fresh bid to secure temporary release - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT
- The late summer murders: Two men on a mission to kill Irish women - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Sat, 19 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT
- When life means life: 'God help me. The devil made me do it' - The Journal The Journal · Sun, 17 Jan 2016 08:00:00 GMT
- State's longest prisoner granted 2 days of temporary release per year - The Irish Sun The Irish Sun · Tue, 04 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMT
- Fresh prosecution plot on killer John Shaw amid DNA twist & 'time running out' alert… justice hopes for victim's family - The Irish Sun The Irish Sun · Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT
- A lifetime behind bars - the killers who are our longest-serving prisoners - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Sun, 25 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
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