Son whose murder conviction was quashed admits to manslaughter of mother

Celyn Eadon, aged 29, of Derrycrieve, Islandeady, Castlebar, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the manslaughter of his mother Noreen Kelly on March 9, 2011. Ms Kelly, aged 46, died following a knife attack at their home address. Eadon was originally convicted of her murder in 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, the Supreme Court quashed his conviction in December 2019, ruling the trial judge's instructions to the jury regarding intoxication and specific intention were inadequate. The court found the jury had not been properly informed that intoxication could constitute a partial defence to murder. The Director of Public Prosecutions accepted Eadon's manslaughter plea. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded him in custody pending a sentence hearing scheduled for November 16, 2020.