Man pleads guilty to manslaughter of man who died in Kilkenny caravan fire

A 35-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of another man who died in a fire in his caravan in Kilkenny almost 16 years ago.

At the Central Criminal Court on Monday, Martin Kelly pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Gerry Nolan (44) on July 24th, 2006, at Deerpark, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.

In 2020 Kelly had been charged with murder of Mr Nolan but today Sean Gillane SC, for the DPP, said the plea to manslaughter was acceptable to the State.

Kelly, of Church Avenue, Castlecomer, who wore a navy shirt and jumper in court replied “not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter”, when the murder charge was put to him by the registrar at the brief hearing.

Defence barrister Michael Bowman SC told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that five weeks would be needed for the preparation of psychological and psychiatric reports for Kelly.

Mr Justice McDermott adjourned the matter to June 20th for sentence hearing.