Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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A SCHOOLYARD prank involving a football ended with the death of a 13-year-old boy, a court heard yesterday.
The tragic circumstances of Oisin Mcgrath’s final moments emerged as lawyers outlined the facts of the case ahead of the sentencing of Francis Mcdermott.
Mcdermott, now 20, has admitted the manslaughter of Oisin who died following an incident at St Michael’s College in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, in February, 2015.
Dungannon Crown Court heard student Francis Mcdermott, who admitted punching Oisin, must live with the consequences of what he did for the rest of his life.
Mcdermott, of Camphill Park, Newtownbutler, was a 17-year-old sixth former at St Michael’s along with Oisin at the time of the playground tussle over a football.
Judge Stephen Fowler, who said it was clear the schoolboy was a well-loved son and grandson, told Mcdermott, now a university engineering student, he will pass sentence on him next week.
Members of Oisin’s family, including his parents, Nigel and Sharon, were in court as prosecution counsel Ciaran Murphy revealed the schoolboy died from a traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage to the neck, caused by blunt force trauma.
Mr Murphy said while the blow struck by Mcdermott was both intentional and unlawful, it was delivered without malice, not motivated by animosity, during an attempt to recover a football.
Defence barrister Martin Rodgers said it was difficult to conceive of a more tragic case.
Oisin’s family left court not wishing to say anything.
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.
It also emerged his parents set up a trust in their son’s name and memory, aimed at raising awareness in organ donation and brain injury research.
Earlier both the Mcgrath and Mcdermott families listened as Mr Murphy outlined what he described as a horrendous case whose tragic consequences would remain forever with them.
The lawyer said that on the day of Oisin’s death there was a football game in an area known as “the cage”. He told how it was a regular occurrence for a ball to be kicked out and picked up by the younger pupils who would then be chased.
A schoolteacher said at one point there appeared to be a scuffle, which on this occasion seemed to be “getting out of hand”. She added she then saw Oisin on the ground “his eyes fixed and staring”.
He was taken to the Southwest Acute Hospital but on Februay 11 was declared dead.
Mr Murphy said a number of boys reported Mcdermott had been mocked for falling as he tried to retrieve the ball and either punched or slapped Oisin on the side of the neck. He later claimed his initial denials were made in a “panic”, and accepted he had hit him with “minimal force” and was “very, very sorry and very guilty”.
His denials were made in a panic and he was very, very, sorry and very guilty CIARAN MURPHY DUNGANNON CROWN COURT YESTERDAY