Aussie police confirm Kenny Meyler’s killer was fellow Irishman

Charges against Vincent Martin Crowe may be upgraded after death

By: PATRICK COUNIHAN | Published Monday, February 18, 2013, 8:30 AM | Updated Monday, February 18, 2013, 8:30 AM

Police in Australia have confirmed that the man held in connection with the death of emigrant Kenny Meyler is also Irish.

The 21-year-old died on Sunday morning from stab wounds received in an incident at a Perth house a week earlier.

The Wexford native was left in a critical condition after the attack with a carving knife and died having battled his injuries for six days.

The Irish Independent reports that his grieving grandparents made an emotional call to Meyler at his hospital bed before he died.

The paper says that Joe and Phyllis Moloney, from Selskar in Wexford town, rang the Sir Charles Gairdner hospital and a phone was put to Mr Meyler’s ear.

Moloney told the paper: “Phyllis said her final goodbye – ‘You’re my number one grandson and always will be.’

“We knew from last week there was not much hope but still when the word came through of Kenny’s death it was devastating, the life-support machine having been switched off a short time earlier.

“Kenny was full of life with a lust for adventure. He had a caring personality and always kept in touch with the family. He did not deserve what came to him.”

Meyler’s mum Melanie, a well known drama teacher in Wexford, and close friends were by his side when he died.

Police in Western Australia have confirmed that charges against fellow Irishman Vincent Martin Crowe may now be upgraded.

The 32-year-old Crowe was charged with grievous bodily harm when he appeared in court last week.

Officers will await the results of a post mortem before any decision is made on a murder charge.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed to the Irish Independent that Crowe is also Irish.
Crowe is due to appear in court again on 25 February.

The report adds that Meyler had been working as a roofer in Australia but was due to travel to Sweden in a matter of months to work there with his father Dermot.