Henry McGowan, the New York man accused of murdering his father John McGowan in Co Laois last week, was remanded into further custody today, Monday, November 18. Henry, who has an address on Clinton Street in Brooklyn, New York, allegedly fatally assaulted his father at the luxury Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Co Laois on Tuesday evening, November 12. Henry was arrested on the evening of the fatal assault and was officially charged on Thursday, November 14 .
He appeared in Portlaoise District Court that day. During the brief hearing on Thursday, Henry's solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said he accepted the court had no jurisdiction to grant bail. Fitzgerald said that it has been accepted that his client has significant mental health issues and asked Judge Cody to request the prison service to provide immediate medical assistance to McGowan, to which he agreed.
Judge Andrew Cody remanded McGowan into custody at Cloverhill Prison. On Monday, Henry appeared via video link from Cloverhill Prison for another hearing at Portlaoise District Court. According to The Irish Examiner, Henry’s solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was consenting to be remanded in custody for two weeks.
Judge Susan Fay remanded Henry in custody to appear in person before Portlaoise District Court on December 2. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! The US-based McGowan family said in a statement to the New York Times on Thursday that they are “deeply saddened by the .