'Paranoid' stab accused convicted of manslaughter
A jury of seven men and four women took over seven hours to find Robert McNamara (28), of Clarina Park, Ballinacurra, Westin, Limerick guilty of manslaughter of father-of-two Mr Brendan O'Connell on December 16, 1999 at the People's Park, Limerick.
Mr O'Connell, of Hillview Grove, Doon, Co Limerick died from internal blood loss from a single stab wound in the upper chest which pierced his heart. The court heard he scaled park railings calling for help before collapsing.
Following the verdict the family of the deceased cried openly in court and afterwards said they were "gobsmacked" and shocked by the verdict.
However, his sister Sinead O'Connell said they were "happy that justice has been done" and that her brother could now rest in peace.
During the trial, the court heard the deceased and McNamara did not know each other and met for the first time in a city pub on the morning of the killing. They spent the day together drinking before climbing over the gates of the park at around 5pm.
The fatal blow was struck as the two men sat side-by-side drinking beer under a shelter.
In his evidence to the court, the accused said he was paranoid and believed there was "a hit out on him". He said he panicked when Mr O'Connell moved forwards and thought he was going to "pull a knife on him".
State Pathologist Prof John Harbison gave evidence that the wound was caused "all with one thrust of the knife". He said the fatal injury was "consistent with infliction" by a knife identified to him in court.
Mr O'Connell was pronounced dead at Limerick Regional Hospital at 5.50pm on December 16, when resuscitation attempts failed. Just over three hours later McNamara handed himself in to gardai at Roxboro Garda Station.
The gardai recovered the murder weapon from a garden adjacent to the acc- used's mothers' house, where he had discarded it.
The trial heard McNamara lived an impoverished life and was sexually abused when he was 10 years old.
Dr Brian McCaffrey, a specialist in forensic psychiatry gave evidence that, in June 2001, he had not labelled McNamara as suffering from mental illness. Mr O'Connell is survived by two daughters aged five and three. McNamara was remanded in custody until November 22.
- Niamh Nolan
