A FORMER US soldier charged with murdering Co Kerry sheep farmer Mike Gaine wants new barristers ahead of his nine-week trial next January, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Michael Kelley, a native of Maine in the US but of no fixed abode in Tralee, Co Kerry, was sent forward for trial in Dublin last May after being served with the book of evidence.

Kelley (54) is charged with a single count of murdering Gaine (56) at Carrig, Kenmare, Co Kerry on a date unknown between 20 and 21 March 2025.

Kelley is expected to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court on 11 January 2027.

The court was previously told by counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions that there are 191 witnesses in the book of evidence and it is estimated the case will last up to nine weeks.

In a brief hearing before the Central Criminal Court today (FRI), defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC told Justice Paul McDermott that he had been instructed by solicitor Frank Buttimer on behalf of Kelley, alongside Richard Liston BL.

Grehan told Justice McDermott that his legal team had met with Kelley “a few times” but he understood that the accused man now wished for alternative counsel in the case.

Defence counsel said Kelley wishes to retain Buttimer as his solicitor and he [Grehan] understood “alternative arrangements” are being put in place to instruct other counsel in the case.

Grehan said he was making an application to the court under the Legal Services Regulation Act on behalf of himself and Liston for permission to withdraw from the case.

Addressing Kelley, who appeared via video link, Justice McDermott said: “You have heard that – and that is an appropriate application for counsel to make as outlined to me”.

Grehan went on to say that Buttimer would remain in the case and he understood Kelley was happy with that arrangement.

Kelley told the judge that he was agreeable to this.

Fiona McGowan BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said disclosure was at a very advanced stage in the case and is “ongoing”.

The lawyer asked for another case management date in two weeks’ time.

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The judge said that, as there had been a changeover of counsel, he would list the matter for a case management review on 23 October.

“That will enable new counsel to read themselves into the case and read the papers,” he said.

The judge said the trial date remained “as is” but “with a change of counsel in the case”.

Gaine was first reported missing from his home on 21 March 2025, prompting a large-scale search of his farm and surrounding areas.

On 29 April, almost six weeks after Gaine went missing, the case was upgraded to homicide.

The sheep farmer had been missing for more than eight weeks when remains found on his farm at Carrig in May 2025 were identified as those of Gaine.