Three New Age travellers who were on trial for a murder in Co Leitrim in 1998 have had pleas of manslaughter accepted by the DPP.
Mr Justice Diarmuid O'Donovan discharged a jury sworn in to try them. The three men will now be sentenced for the killing in October.
Andrew Gordon Roche (36), of Drumlease, Dromohair, Martin Francis Barber (33), of Boihy, Manorhamilton, and Keith Cooper (25), of Gortimar, Manorhamilton, were due to go on trial for the murder of Elliott Colin Double (25), otherwise known as Elliott Robertson, at a New Age traveller campsite at Boihy, Co Leitrim, on October 6th, 1998. Earlier this week, Barber changed his plea to manslaughter and, following an adjournment of the trial on Thursday, Roche and Cooper yesterday did likewise.
When they were re-arraigned before the Central Criminal Court jury, all three pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty of manslaughter.
Mr George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, told Mr Justice O'Donovan that the pleas were acceptable to the DPP.
The court heard that the killing occurred when the three New Age travellers became involved in a confrontation with the deceased man on a mountain path.
Following their change of plea yesterday, Roche and Cooper were remanded on continuing bail to appear for sentencing on October 7th. Barber, whose manslaughter plea was accepted by the DPP earlier this week, has already been remanded on continuing bail to July 18th, but he is expected to be sentenced with Roche and Cooper in October.