BREAKING: Tipperary farmer found guilty of murder of love rival

TIPPERARY farmer Patrick Quirke has been found guilty of the murder of his love rival Bobby Ryan.

The foreman of the jury of six men and six women handed the majority verdict 10-2 to the clerk in the hushed court room this afternoon.

The verdict was finally delivered after Judge Eileen Creedon told the jury she would accept a majority verdict after they were unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Mr Quirke (50), of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan, a part-time DJ going be the name of Mr Moonlight.

Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowry’s home at about 6.30am.

His body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary 22 months later in April 2013.

The prosecution had claimed that Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with 52-year-old Ms Lowry.