A man from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment following his conviction for the murder of his infant son. John Tighe, aged 40, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court of murdering six-and-a-half-month-old Joshua Sussbier Tighe on 1 June 2013 at his home in Lavallyroe. The jury deliberated for seven hours and 32 minutes before returning their verdict. Tighe had pleaded not guilty and maintained the death was accidental. Prosecution evidence, including expert testimony from pathologists and paediatricians, established that the child could not have independently formed or swallowed a wad of tissue found obstructing his airway. The child's mother delivered an impact statement describing the trauma she has endured since her son's death. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the mandatory life sentence as prescribed by law.
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Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Baby Joshua's mother 'can still feel his lifeless hand', court hears as John Tighe gets life for his son's murder - Irish Examiner Irish Examiner · Fri, 23 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
- 'He was my boy' - Man accused of murdering six-month-old son told gardai he had never hurt him, court hears - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
- John Tighe given life sentence for murdering 6½-month-old son - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Fri, 23 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
- Father goes on trial after plea of not guilty to murdering baby son - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Mon, 26 Feb 2018 08:00:00 GMT
- Baby’s death in 2013 ruled as unlawful homicide by Mayo coroner - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT
- Mayo man who subjected partner to years of abuse and 'mental torture' is jailed - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT
- Closing speeches in trial of man over death of infant son - RTE.ie RTE.ie · Tue, 20 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
- Idea baby caused his own death 'fanciful', dad's murder trial told - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Wed, 14 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT
Related court reports
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"What have you done?" mother asked father on trial for murdering infant son
Courts News Ireland · 2018-03-13
A paediatrician has told the Central Criminal Court that a six-month-old infant could not have formed or swallowed the wad of tissue found in his throat. Dr Hilary...
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Jury in baby Joshua trial told they can return majority verdict
Courts News Ireland · 2018-03-23
At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering his infant son has been permitted to return a majority verdict. John Tighe, aged 40,...
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"Inconsistencies" in father's account of baby's death, prosecution say
Courts News Ireland · 2018-03-20
A father accused of murdering his six-and-a-half-month-old son at his home in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, faces closing arguments at the Central Criminal Court. John...
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Father went on to have second child with mother of infant he is accused of murdering
Courts News Ireland · 2018-03-16
A man charged with the murder of his six-month-old son at his home in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo in 2013 later fathered a second child with the infant's mother, the...
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Father put wad of tissue down infant's throat, prosecution allege at murder trial
Courts News Ireland · 2018-02-27
At the Central Criminal Court, a murder trial commenced involving John Tighe, aged 40, from Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Mr Tighe has pleaded not guilty to the...