Family ‘overwhelmed’ by Sliabh Liag pair’s lack of remorse

Alan Vial and Nikita Burns were convicted of murdering Robin Wilkin, a 66-year-old man, following a two-month trial at the Central Criminal Court that concluded on Thursday. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed mandatory life sentences on both defendants the following day. Vial, aged 39 and from Drumanoo Head in Killybegs, County Donegal, and Burns, aged 23 of Carrick, had each entered not guilty pleas. A jury returned guilty verdicts by a ten-to-two majority against both accused. The trial established that Wilkin sustained severe head trauma inflicted by repeated blows from a rock near Killybegs on June 25, 2023. His remains were subsequently pushed from the Sliabh Liag cliffs and discovered in the sea eight days later. Pathological evidence presented during proceedings indicated that depressed skull fractures found on the deceased were consistent with impacts from a blunt instrument rather than injuries from a cliff fall. The prosecution case centred on the argument that both defendants engaged in a joint enterprise to cause serious harm to the victim before disposing of his body over the cliff edge. Throughout the trial, the two defendants blamed each other for inflicting the fatal injuries. Burns had pleaded guilty to the separate charge of impeding apprehension or prosecution, having cleaned blood from a vehicle. The defence mounted by her legal representatives contended she played no active role in the assault itself. At sentencing, Irene McAleer, the victim's sister, delivered a victim-impact statement to the court. The family expressed profound distress at what they characterised as the defendants' apparent indifference to their actions and described themselves as overwhelmed by their absence of remorse. Ms McAleer also spoke to the additional anguish caused by the manner in which their relative's body had been discarded. Vial's sentence was backdated to July 14, 2023, whilst Burns' was backdated to August 29, 2023.