Trial of man accused of murdering pensioner hears 999 call

A 30-year-old man from Sligo has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of a 67-year-old pensioner in September 2012. The trial at the Central Criminal Court heard evidence of a 999 emergency call made on September 20, 2012, in which the caller reported a man tied up in a house near Sligo Garda Station. A garda sergeant who received the call described it as very brief and disconnected before full details could be established. The prosecution alleges the accused made the call from an acquaintance's phone. The trial also heard evidence regarding the condition of the victim's home, CCTV footage, betting shop records, and a mobile phone sim card recovered from shrubbery. The accused has pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and trespass to commit robbery at the property on September 19, 2012. The State rejected the manslaughter plea, and the trial continues.