Murder accused started drinking at age 14, trial hears

At the Central Criminal Court, a 22-year-old man from Letterkenny, County Donegal has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of a 41-year-old man on May 13, 2013. The State has not accepted the manslaughter plea. His co-accused, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. During trial proceedings, a detective garda gave evidence that the younger defendant began drinking at age 14 after moving to Ireland from Poland and had experienced social difficulties due to language barriers. The court heard evidence of multiple instances of theft from supermarkets in Letterkenny during the weekend of the alleged killing, captured on CCTV footage. The trial, presided over by Justice Patrick McCarthy with a jury of twelve, continues.