Kildare man's plea of guilty to manslaughter not accepted by DPP

A 21-year-old man from Athy in County Kildare, charged with murder following a fatal shooting in April 2013, has entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter. The Central Criminal Court was informed that the Director of Public Prosecutions has declined to accept this plea, and the trial continues accordingly. The defendant, who had initially pleaded not guilty to murder, also admitted to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances. This represents a change from an earlier charge of possession with intent to endanger life. The case is being heard before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. Two co-accused, both aged 21, have taken a different course. Their guilty pleas to manslaughter have been accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, meaning they will not proceed to trial on the murder charge. They too pleaded guilty to the firearms possession offence, with their pleas accepted by the prosecution. The shooting occurred at Coneyboro estate in Athy on 6 April 2013, and the victim was aged 20. The prosecution's case alleges the co-accused provided material assistance to the defendant in the commission of the offence. The case reflects an ongoing issue of serious violent crime involving firearms in the greater Kildare area. The trial demonstrates the distinction the courts draw between those directly responsible for a fatal shooting and those accused of providing assistance, as reflected in the DPP's acceptance of pleas from the co-accused while rejecting a manslaughter plea from the primary defendant. The matter was being heard at the Central Criminal Court rather than at local level, indicating the gravity with which the charges were being treated by the judiciary.