Blake Sweeney jailed for manslaughter of Robert Elston

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

Blake Sweeney was sentenced to eight years and six months, with the final 18 months suspended, for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court on 11 November 2019.

He was convicted of manslaughter rather than murder after stabbing Robert Elston during an altercation at Fertha Drive, Cahersiveen, on 23 May 2018.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said Sweeney had pursued Elston with a knife, but accepted that Elston had been armed with an axe and that there was no premeditation or planning. The sentence was backdated to 23 May 2018.