Judge charges jury in Athlone murder trial

The jury in the trial of two men charged with the murder of a 23-year-old in Athlone is expected to begin deliberating on Thursday. The Central Criminal Court heard that Patryk Krupa drowned following a violent assault on 20 June 2014. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murder at Bogganfin, Athlone, County Roscommon. Both also deny charges of false imprisonment on the same date. Mr Justice Tony Hunt began his charge to the jury on Wednesday, completing it on Thursday before the 12-member panel retire to consider their verdicts on four counts. The prosecution contended that the accused men assaulted the deceased and left him to drown in the River Shannon. The defence disputed identification evidence relating to one accused and suggested alternative liability for assault or manslaughter rather than murder.