18-year-old Irishman charged with first child murder since 2005

An 18-year-old Dublin man has appeared in court this morning charged in connection with the murder of a 12-year-old Irish schoolgirl at Porterstown Road, west Dublin on Saturday.

Jonathan Byrne, of Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Dublin, appeared before Dublin District Court this morning accused of the murder of Michaela Davis, whose body was found on a bank of the Royal Canal on Saturday afternoon.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Callaghan told the court that Byrne was arrested at 11.30 PM on Sunday night and charged at Blanchardstown Garda (Police) station on the north side of the city shortly afterward. The court heard Byrne made no reply when charged.

A post mortem showed that Davis had been attacked, sexually abused and strangled. Byrne, who was dressed in jeans, white runners and a grey hoodie top, did not speak during the brief hearing.

There were no objections to an application for legal aid by defense solicitor Eugene Dunne. The solicitor also requested and was granted medical attention for Byrne.

Judge Patrick Clyne remanded Byrne in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday, September 3.

The principal of Luttrellstown Community College in Blanchardstown has said that a psychological support service for students are now in place. A 'critical incident management team' has also been set up to provide support for pupils following Davis’ murder. Daviswas a first-year student at Luttrellstown and attended her first classes last Wednesday.

The principal of Saint Mochta's National School, where Davis had attended until June, said she was ‘a lovely child who had so much to give and to live for.’