A Lithuanian poultry factory worker has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of the murder of a workmate in Co Monaghan last year.
In the Central Criminal Court, Algimantas Stankevicius (35), with a last address at Bridge Street, Cootehill, Co Cavan, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of compatriot Mr Arunas Petrauskas (46), whose last address was on Main Street, Cootehill.
Mr Petrauskas died from a fatal stab wound after a fight with Stankevicius at the Cootehill Poultry Products factory in Dyan, Co Monaghan, on February 23rd 2002.
After over five hours deliberating, a jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder. Mr Justice O'Higgins immediately sentenced Stankevicius to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder.
The prosecution case was that Stankevicius left a fist fight between the two men and returned armed with a chicken filleting knife to stab Mr Petrauskas. The jury heard that the fight started with an argument over petty workplace jealousies.
The defence had claimed that although the deceased man had got the upper hand in the fight, he pursued the accused into the factory with the intention of continuing the fight.
Defence counsel Mr Sean Moylan SC argued that the accused acted in self defence in arming himself with the knife, and that the facts suggested an accidental rather than an intentional stabbing.
The jury rejected that defence case and by a unanimous verdict convicted Stankevicius of murder. Mr Justice O'Higgins refused leave to appeal the jury verdict.