A MAN has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a "gentle and inoffensive" retired barman in Cork city.
Paul Murphy (25), of Kilmore Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork city, had denied the murder of Donal Manley at his home in High Street, Cork, between October 10th and October 12th, 2008.
Murphy also denied a charge of assault causing serious harm and to stealing a number of items including a jacket, cap, umbrella, watch, TV and a Chorus black box belonging to Mr Manley.
At a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork yesterday the jury of nine women and three men took 2½ hours to return their unanimous verdict. In addition to the mandatory life sentence Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed a concurrent five-year sentence on Murphy for the theft of property from Mr Manley's home.
The court heard that Murphy has 23 previous convictions including a 2½-year jail sentence which he is currently serving for hitting a man with a glass and stamping on his head leaving him unconscious and needing 16 stitches.
In a victim impact statement Mr Manley's brother Pat spoke of having a kind and thoughtful sibling who always made time for his parents when they were alive.
Pat Manley said he was particularly offended by "vicious and slanderous statements" made against his brother in the course of the trial.
"Such statements are easily made when the person is no longer around to defend himself." Mr Manley added that his brother retired from the bar trade as a result of arthritis in his legs which made it difficult for him to stand for long periods of time. Already small in stature Pat Manley said this condition further diminished Donal's size and he walked with a distinctive amble.
"I cannot help but to think that he presented an easy target for those who seek out the weak and vulnerable to prey on." In sentencing Mr Justice Carney thanked the jury for their careful attention to a case which was difficult for everyone concerned.
During the course of the three-week trial the court heard that Mr Manley died from head injuries. Evidence was given that some of those injuries were most likely caused by someone standing on his head during the attack.
Murphy said the night of October 9th, 2008, he had been drinking with some men at the bottom of Patrick's Hill in Cork, but he had no recollection of meeting Mr Manley.
He recalled being in a strange house but he had no recollection of how he got there, although he could remember a man offering him alcohol. He took a glass of rum and fell asleep sitting on a sofa, he told gardaí. Murphy claimed he hit Mr Manley twice after the 62-year-old attempted to sexually assault him.
Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Declan Gilsenan said that the compression-type head injuries suffered by Donal Manley were consistent with somebody standing on his head as he lay on the ground and compressing his head against the floor.
Mr Manley had suffered a fractured skull, two fractures to his left cheekbone, one fracture to his right cheekbone and his jaw was broken in two places.