Man, 52, found guilty of murdering Tipperary grandmother at her home

A 52-year-old man is facing life imprisonment after he was found guilty of murdering a pensioner at her home in Nenagh, just over two years ago.

Hasan Ali Gori, with an address at 91 St Joseph’s Park, in the town was found guilty this Tuesday afternoon, following a three-week trial at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick.

Shortly after 2pm, the jury of nine men and three women delivered a majority 11-to-1 verdict, following eight hours and 52 minutes of deliberations.

Mr Ali Gori, who is originally from Chad and who was in a relationship with the victim's daughter, had pleaded not guilty to murdering the 89-year-old grandmother.

The case of the prosecution, led by senior counsel Lorcan Connolly was that the accused, Mr Ali Gori smothered and strangled the victim at her home at 91 St Joseph’s Park in August 2024.

After nearly four days of deliberations following a trial that lasted over three weeks, the jury returned a majority verdict of 11 to one, with 11 agreeing on a guilty verdict and one dissenting.

This verdict came following further direction from Mr Justice Seán Gillane at lunchtime on Tuesday when a unanimous verdict had not yet been reached.

Following the delivery of the verdict at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, Mr Justice Seán Gillane thanked the jury for their service and said “this is very very difficult work”.

He then excused the nine men and three women from further jury duty for ten years.

The murder trial of Hasan Ali Gori began in mid October and lasted more than three weeks, with the jury hearing a litany of witness testimony from relatives and neighbours of the late Josephine Ray.

Evidence was also heard from gardai and expert witnesses including State Pathologist, Yvonne McCartney, who conducted a post-mortem on the body of Ms Ray.

She told the court she had identified approximately 40 injuries on the victim's body including numerous areas of bruising.

The trial previously heard how the accused, Mr Ali Gori and Ms Ray’s daughter, Mary Ray had been in a relationship since 2014, after meeting in Galway.

The court further heard how Mary Ray had an intellectual disability and how her mother Josephine “always protected her” as “she knew she needed special care”.