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Post by thales on Nov 26, 2007 13:41:52 GMT -1
Chinese man convicted of Kilkenny postmaster murder
Monday November 26 2007
A Chinese man has been convicted of murdering Kilkenny postmaster Alan Cunniffe after an armed raid on a post office just under a year ago.
The 25-year-old shot the 32-year-old in the stomach after Mr Cunniffe chased him down the street following the robbery.
He has also pleaded guilty to stealing money over the value of €13,000 from the post office on John Street and to being in possession of a firearm and will be sentenced for those offences on Friday.
Shu Shen got the bus from Dublin to Kilkenny on December 8th last year armed with a knife and a loaded pistol.
He held up staff at the post office on John's Green in Kilkenny and made off with over €13,000 in cash.
As he went to leave the post office with the bag of cash, Mr Cunniffe arrived and then chased him down the street. .
After a struggle, Mr Shen shot him in the stomach and Mr Cunniffe died at three o'clock, despite attempts to save him. The court has heard that Shen was arrested soon after and told Gardai it was an accident.
However, the jury of six men and six women convicted him just before lunch of murder after an hour-and-a-half of deliberations.
He faces the mandatory life sentence.
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Post by Billy on Nov 26, 2007 16:49:39 GMT -1
Well I sure hope it's some consolation to you that justice has been done Eoin
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Post by shinny on Nov 26, 2007 16:55:08 GMT -1
I'm glad he got foud guilty Eoin. Lets hope he's behind for a long time
*hug*
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Post by thales on Nov 27, 2007 10:36:46 GMT -1
Thanks BILLY and SHINNY, some closure for family and friends i suppose
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Post by shinny on Nov 27, 2007 10:47:39 GMT -1
Exactly... At least you now know, he can't hurt anybody else
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Post by ArgyleNeil on Nov 27, 2007 10:51:35 GMT -1
Close that chapter now my friend, I am glad justice was served.
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Post by thales on Nov 30, 2007 17:29:16 GMT -1
Man gets life for Kilkenny post office murder Friday, 30 November 2007 17:19 A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Kilkenny postmaster almost a year ago. Shu Shen apologised to the family of 32-year-old Alan Cunniffe through his lawyers. Mr Cunniffe's brother, Declan, told the Central Criminal Court the family's world had crumbled the day Alan was shot dead. Shu Shen took a bus to Kilkenny on 8 December last year. Armed with a modified air pistol and a knife, he walked into the post office at John's Green and got away with more than €13,000 in cash. Alan Cunniffe, who had taken over as postmaster just two days previously, ran after him. When he tried to grab the bag of cash, Shu Shen shot him in the stomach. Mr Cunniffe died in hospital shortly afterwards. Mr Cunniffe had four brothers and three sisters. Declan Cunniffe said Alan had paid the ultimate price for trying to protect the family business. Their family and home were only a shell of what they were, he said. Their father Thomas, died from cancer two and a half years ago, he said, but the unexpected brutal circumstances of Alan's death were beyond belief. Most people hear about these things on the television he said but these types of things were becoming more and more commonplace in our society. Alan, we miss you, he said. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced Shu Shen, who is a Chinese national, to life in prison and to 10 years for robbery and possession of a firearm. Story from RTÉ News: www.rte.ie/news/2007/1130/cunniffea.html
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Post by officergroyman on Nov 30, 2007 17:41:15 GMT -1
Life + 10 years, sounds fair, no chance of parole !!
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