A Cork man on trial for the murder of his neighbour changed his plea at the Central Criminal Court today following three days of legal argument.
It was the eighth-day of the trial of Mr Christopher McCarthy (39) of Coleman's Terrace, Cloyne, Co Cork who had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr John Heelam at Berkley Court, Cloyne, Co Cork on March 9th, 2001.
The 52 year-old died after being stabbed in the neck at his home in Berkley Court in Cloyne in the middle of the night.
But today when the jury returned after an absence of three days, Mr McCarthy's counsel Mr Patrick MacEntee SC asked that his client be re-arraigend. Mr McCarthy then pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Heelam. His plea was accepted by Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC, prosecuting.
Mr Justice Barry White thanked the jury for their service and explained why legal argument had begun after evidence was heard that the gardai went directly to the home of the accused shortly after Mr Heelam had been removed to hospital in the early hours of March 9.
He discharged the six women and six men of the jury and exempted them from jury service for the next ten years.
Mr McCarthy was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 5th.