Content warning: Mentions of blood, violence and murder
A 19-year-old has been charged with murdering a Tipperary man he met on the gay dating app Grindr. Nathan Hanlon appeared before the High Court on Friday, September 5, where he was refused bail and the case was adjourned until later this month.
The teen met 49-year-old Ian Walsh in the early hours of August 2, after the pair had exchanged messages on Grindr. The murder victim drove to pick Hanlon up at around 3:30am, before they went back to his home in Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary.
That was the last time Walsh was seen alive. His naked body was then discovered in the downstairs bathroom of his home on August 4.
The court heard that Walsh was stabbed 11 times between the neck and back, and there were allegedly bloodstains on the stairs and the front door. Hanlon’s fingerprints and palmprints were found on the scene, while his DNA was found on the inside waistband of bloodstained boxed shorts recovered from the upstairs bathroom.
According to prosecution counsel Gillian Finane, CCTV showed the accused walking out of Ravenswood Estate at 7:31am with a large rucksack and a carrier bag. He was seen again at 8:31pm without the bags, which Gardaí believe he dumped in the River Suir.
After a search of Hanlon’s family home on August 20, authorities found an Irish Rail journal belonging to Walsh, who was an employee of the transport operator. They also located an Aldi bag with a pair of bloodstained green pants, bloodstained tissue paper, Crocs and the blade of a knife.
However, Detective Inspector Declan Boland stated the murder weapon, believed to be a double-bladed hunting knife, has not been found. He suspects Hanlon may have dumped it after leaving the victim’s house.
Gardaí have also not established a motive for the crime, which reportedly showed no signs of being premeditated.
Boland “strongly” objected to bail, while counsel for the accused, Ronan Prendergast, said he has no passport and is unlikely to be a flight risk. He added that his family would monitor his bail conditions if he was released.
Justice Siobhan Lankford deliberated on the request, saying it was a difficult case. She noted that on one hand, there was the seriousness of the charge, but on the other, he is a young man.
However, she declined the bail application, saying she needed more time to deal with the matter.
If you have been affected by this story or are looking to reach out to someone for support, advice or just to talk, there are numerous services available for LGBTQ+ people, listed below, and many offer instant messaging support.
Samaritans
SpunOut.ie
National LGBT+ Helpline
The Switchboard
Dublin Lesbian Line
Belong To
TENI
Pavee Point
Man2Man
HIV Ireland
Aware
Pieta House
Jigsaw
Mental Health Ireland
Garda Confidential Line
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