Courts / Carlow / Report

"I frightened myself, I was like an animal": Wexford man guilty of murder

Date
2016-11-16
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Tullow
County
Carlow

Summary

A 53‑year‑old Wexford man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 41‑year‑old Latvian man, Gints Intembergs, who was found dead on the floor of a kitchen in Co Carlow on 16 September 2014. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim had beaten the accused in an arm‑wrestling match and that the accused, Liam Power, had stamped on the victim's head and testicles, kicked him repeatedly, and attempted to set fire to his hair and privates with a lighter. Power claimed he was intoxicated, having drunk about 16 cans of cider and smoked crack cocaine before the killing. Forensic evidence showed blunt‑force trauma to the head and neck, with blood patterns matching the accused's shoes. Power pleaded not guilty to murder but was found guilty and given a mandatory life sentence, back‑dated to 18 September 2014.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "I frightened myself, I was like an animal": Wexford man guilty of murder. Charges or matters: murder on that or the previous day, but he pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the deceased man's home in Graigowen, Tullow; assault causing harm on another man, Aigar Sildars, on the same occasion, and was cleared of that crime yesterday; both murdering Mr Intembergs and assaulting Mr Sildars, causing harm; the assault charge and will be sentenced later. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: She could not say which blow had caused his death but explained that stamping would not generally cause movement of the brain. CNI source report

Case subjects

Liam Power

Defendant

Charges: murder on that or the previous day, but he pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the deceased man's home in Graigowen, Tullow; assault causing harm on another man, Aigar Sildars, on the same occasion, and was cleared of that crime yesterday; both murdering Mr Intembergs and assaulting Mr Sildars, causing harm; the assault charge and will be sentenced later (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Outcome: He then pleaded guilty to the assault charge and will be sentenced later. Power stood as Justice Kennedy imposed the mandatory life sentence on him and backdated it to September 18th, 2014.

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Court Venue
  • The Central Criminal Court
Incident
Residence

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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