A Dublin man was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of his father at the Central Criminal Court today.
A jury of seven women and four men took less than two hours to reach the verdict in the murder trial of Mr Gary Waters (31), who denied the murder of his father Mr John Waters (59) at his flat in Oliver Bond House, Dublin on 29 December 2001.
Mr Waters broke down and wept when the verdict was read out. His sisters and extended family cried "Yes, Yes" from the public gallery, sobbing and clutching at each other for support. Mr Water's mother died nine years ago and a brother was stabbed to death seven years ago.
Speaking outside the court afterwards, one of Mr Water's sisters said she was "thrilled" with the verdict. "I'm thrilled, we're all thrilled, he should never have been there in the first place" she said.
The jury heard over three days how Mr John Waters had admitted sexually abusing his daughters to the accused on the night of his death and had provoked his son into attacking him over the allegations.
He was talking in a "flippant manner" to his son about sexually abusing his daughters when they were children, Garda Tobin told the court. "He told Gary he just fondled them, never penetrated them, that his brothers did it too" Garda Tobin said. "Gary Waters said the way his father was talking made him 'lose the head'".
"I just wanted to shut him up, there was a scuffle. I think I stabbed him again when he was lying down. I honestly don't know how many times. I didn't plan it, I feel terrible now" Mr Gary Waters said in a statement to Gardai.