Aaron McDonagh pleads guilty to manslaughter in house fire

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Aaron McDonagh pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court on 10 March 2021. The offence involved setting fire to Gerry Marron’s house at St Macartans Villas, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, on 21 March 2016.

McDonagh also pleaded guilty to arson, while pleading not guilty to murder. The manslaughter plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions on a full-facts basis. Mr Justice Michael White ordered probation and victim-impact reports and remanded McDonagh in custody until 14 June for a sentence hearing.