Murder accused remanded in custody

A man charged with the murder of a man whose body was found in the water off Sliabh Liag has been remanded in custody following a brief appearance at court.

Alan Vial was before Monday’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court via video link from Castlerea Prison.

The 38-year-old has been charged with the murder of Robert Wilkin, whose body was found floating in waters off Sliabh Liag on July 3.

Vial first appeared before a special sitting of Ballyshannon District Court on Friday.

Monday’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court heard that a book of evidence is not yet ready in the case.

Vial was remanded in custody until August 10, when he will again appear via video link, for the service of a book of evidence, if it is ready by that date.

Mr Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for Vial, said there is consent to an extension of the remand. Judge Éiteáin Cunningham put the matter into August 10.

“Okay, thank you. Cheers,” Vial said as he returned to his cell.

Vial was arrested at an address in Letterkenny on Thursday morning and questioned by detectives before being brought to Ballyshannon District Court on Friday afternoon.

Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, was charged that on the 25th of June,2023 at a place unknown within the State, he did murder one Robert Wilkin (also known as Robin Wilkin).

The charge is Contrary to Common Law and as provided for by Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1964.

Members of Vial's family were also in court for the hearing.

Detective Garda Ciaran O'Brien of Ballyshannon Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

Alan Vial is led to court by Detective Garda Ciaran O'Brien. (North West Newspix)

He told the court how after being charged, the accused made no reply.

Vial's solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said that because the nature of the charge there was no application for bail.

Mr Gallagher asked that Vial receive all required medical treatment including an updated prescription for a medical condition while in custody.

Vial had been previously arrested along with a woman in her 20s on June 26 on suspicion of a serious assault.

It followed information received by Gardai which led to a large-scale search off the popular tourist destination at Sliabh Liag.

Despite being questioned for two days, the pair were released without charge.

Following an extensive search involving Gardai, the Irish Coastguard including Rescue 118 and the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, a body was recovered in water off the cliffs on July 3.

The body was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where a full post mortem was carried out by the State Pathologist's Office.

The findings of that post mortem have not been released for Garda operational reasons.

The victim Mr Wilkin, was aged in his 60s and from Northern Ireland.

In August 2021, Mr Wilkin, who had been living in Tilbury in Essex at the time, was questioned by officers from the NCA after the lorry he was driving was stopped at the Coquelles Channel Tunnel terminal.

The vehicle, which was registered in Poland, had been carrying a load of Belgian chocolates which were to be delivered to a location in Maidstone, Kent.

During a search of the lorry, Border Force officers found tape-wrapped packages of drugs hidden in two pallets of the chocolates.

In total, 63 kilos of heroin and 32 kilos of cocaine were seized.

Officers from the NCA later charged Wilkin with attempting to import a class A drug.

He appeared at Folkestone Magistrates Court on August 14, 2021, and was released on bail.

It is understood that Mr Wilkin's remains were released from Letterkenny University Hospital to his family on Wednesday of last week.