Jury to begin deliberations over Mitchelstown death

A JURY is expected to begin its deliberations today (Thursday) in the case of a 28-year-old North Cork man who is charged with the murder of a 36-yearold father of four in a pub in Mitchelstown in the summer of 2018.

Michael Dineen from Ard Mhuileann, Ballywillan, Mitchelstown, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter but denied the murder of Paddy ‘Ginty’ O’Donnell at Willie Andie’s Pub, New Square Mitchelstown on June 1st, 2018.

On Wednesday, the prosecution finished presenting its case and with the defence opting not to go into evidence, prosecution counsel, Tim O’Leary SC and defence counsel, Brendan Gahon SC began their summing up for the jury.

It was expected that on Thursday, trial judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens would begin his charge to the jury of six men and six women trying the case at the Central Criminal Court sitting at the Anglesea Street Courthouse in Cork.

On Wednesday, Det Sgt James O’Shea, who was involved in investigating the killing, confirmed certain admissions made by the accused, Mr Dineen to gardai following his arrest for questioning about how Mr O’Donnell died.

He said Mr Dineen told gardaí that he had been friendly with Mr O’Donnell for around two-and-a-half years as they both lived in Mitchelstown and Mr O’Donnell used to call him every day and they would go lamping hares together.

He said that Mr Dineen told gardaí that he could not understand how he had killed his friend in a row over a pint of beer and that they were all drunk in the pub and should have been kicked out by the landlord on the night in question.

Det Sgt O’Shea agreed with Mr Grehan that CCTV footage from the pub showed Mr Dineen and Mr O’Donnell embracing and that there was “a great outpouring of manly affection from the outset, perhaps precipitated by drink”.

Mr Dineen told gardai “it was the worst night of his life going to the pub that evening and he should have gone home” before the row broke out during which he punched Mr O’Donnell repeatedly for almost a minute and a half.

Mr O’Donnell’s brother-inlaw, Daniel Butler confirmed that Mr Dineen, a father of five young children, and Mr O’Donnell were close friends and Mr O’Donnell had sold a sulky to Mr Dineen just two or three days earlier.

“As far as I know there was never any trouble between them,” said Mr Butler before confirming that, while it was just a figure of speech to say it would take ten men to bring him down if sober, Mr O’Donnell was a strong man.

The trial had earlier heard that Mr O’Donnell, who worked in a local piggery, died from inhaling his own blood and teeth due to blunt force trauma to the head which he suffered in the assault.