Juvenile prank led to manslaughter of tragic schoolboy

A PLAYGROUND prank involving a football which sparked a chase and a slap or punch about the head resulted in the tragic death of Belcoo schoolboy Oisin McGrath three days later, a court heard yesterday.

Francis McDermott (20) was told he will have to live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life after he admitted punching the 13-year-old.

Dungannon Crown heard McDermott, of Camphill Park, Newtownbutler, was a 17-yearold sixth former at St Michael’s College in Enniskillen along with Oisin at the time of the school playground tussle over a football.

Judge Stephen Fowler told McDermott, now a university engineering student, that he will sentence him next week.

Members of Oisin’s family, including his parents Nigel and Sharon were in court as prosecution counsel Ciaran Murphy revealed that the schoolboy died from an injury to the neck, caused by blunt force trauma.

Mr Murphy said while the blow struck by McDermott was both intentional and unlawful, it was however, delivered without malice and not motivated by animosity, during an attempt by him to recover a football.

In mitigation defence QC Martin Rodgers said it was difficult to conceive of a more tragic case than the untimely schoolboy’s death.

However, Mr Rodgers described his client’s case as exceptional among the many onepunch cases in Northern Ireland

Oisin McGrath; and (right) Francis McDermott

as it was bereft of many of the aggravating factors including public disorder, alcohol abuse or malice between the parties.

Earlier both the McGrath and McDermott families listened as Mr Murphy outlined what he described as a horrendous case whose tragic consequences for all would remain forever with them.

The lawyer said that on February 2, 2015, like many other days at St Michael’s College, there was, in an area known as ‘the cage’, a football game, a regular occurrence where the football was often kicked out.

It would then be picked up by the younger pupils who would be chased in an effort to retrieve it.

A teacher looking on said at one point there appeared to be a scuffle, which on this occasion appeared to be “getting out of hand”.

She said she later saw young Oisin lying on the ground.

He was taken to the South West Acute Hospital but later died.

Mr Murphy said initially Mc-

Dermott denied hitting the schoolboy.

He later claimed his denials were made in a “panic” and while he accepted he had hit the teenager with “minimal force” to get the ball back, he said he was “very very sorry”.

However, Mr Murphy said while ultimately by his plea to manslaughter it was clear McDermott’s blow was intentional, it was accepted he did not intend to cause any serious injury.

In victim impact reports the schoolboy was described as “a perfect young man” and that the consequences for his family have been tragic and devastating.

Mr Rodgers said that McDermott had just set out to retrieve a football and never intended nor did he foresee how tragic his single punch would have, or its terrible consequences.

Oisin’s family left the court without commenting.

In the days following the teenager’s death it was reported they had allowed his organs to be used to save the lives of five other people.