Henry Keogh

Henry Keogh
Born1954
Criminal statusConviction quashed 19 December 2014
Conviction(s)Murder
Criminal penalty26 years imprisonment

Henry Vincent Keogh (born 1954) is an Australian who was convicted of murder but was eventually released twenty years later on appeal. He grew up in Adelaide, South Australia and was educated at Saint Ignatius College[1] and briefly at the School of Dentistry at The University of Adelaide.[2]

In 1995, he was sentenced to 26 years in prison for the 1994 murder of his 29-year-old fiancée, Anna-Jane Cheney,[3] then head of Professional Conduct at the Law Society of South Australia: it was alleged that Keogh had planned the murder for over two years.[2]

Keogh and his family have always claimed his innocence, and raised their doubts regarding some of the evidence upon which the conviction was based.

Keogh admitted to signing five life insurance policies on behalf of Cheney.[4] Whereas the prosecution alleged the combined value of $1.15 million AUD was motive for the murder, Keogh claimed that these were submitted to prevent insurance agencies he had established from lapsing, and that the amount eligible to claim was closer to $400,000. The prosecution conceded during the trial that Cheney was aware of at least two of these policies.[5]

The conviction was overturned on 19 December 2014.[6]

The third trial was set for March 2016 but a key prosecution witness fell ill. On 13 November 2015 the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced they had entered a nolle prosequi and would not be proceeding with a retrial at this stage.[7]

  1. ^ St. Ignatius' College Year Books, 1970-1972, ed. F.X. Wallace, S.J., Manresa Court, Athelstone, South Australia
  2. ^ a b State of Injustice, Robert N. Moles, Lothian Books, Melbourne, Australia, 1994.
  3. ^ "Bathtub murderer wants appeal reopened". The Australian. News Corp Ltd. AAP. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 10 May 2009.
  4. ^ Jackman, Christine (19 February 2014). "The devil in the detail". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
  5. ^ Keogh Insurance Evidence Archived 10 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Today Tonight, 9 April 2008.
  6. ^ "Daughter of Henry Keogh, Alexis Atkins, speaks of excitement over her dad's possible release from jail". 19 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Henry Keogh murder charge dropped by Director of Public Prosecutions in South Australia Supreme Court". 13 November 2015.