Courts / Longford / Report
Drug dealer who stabbed man to death in broad daylight guilty of murder by unanimous verdict
Summary
A man has been convicted of murder following a fatal stabbing in Longford town centre. Rihards Lavickis, aged 26, with an address at Annaly Court in Longford, was found guilty by unanimous verdict at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murdering Akadiusz Czajkowski outside Longford Shopping Centre on 1st November 2016. The jury deliberated for just over three hours. Lavickis had initially pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. This was his second trial for the offence, as a previous jury had failed to reach a verdict. Evidence presented showed that Lavickis pursued the deceased with a knife and stabbed him three times. A post-mortem examination determined that a single stab wound to the heart proved fatal. The court heard that tensions between the men stemmed from a drug debt and a series of incidents involving threats and property damage. Mr Justice Michael White imposed the mandatory life sentence. The victim's mother provided an impact statement describing the psychological devastation caused by her son's death.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Drug dealer who stabbed man to death in broad daylight guilty of murder by unanimous verdict. Charges or matters: murder, but guilty to the manslaughter of the Polish father-of-two outside Longford Shopping Centre at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark in the town. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- 1st November 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-03-21 Publication
Why: " and that Lavickis had replied: "I give you nothing because you beat me with a knuckle duster. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murder, but guilty to the manslaughter of the Polish father-of-two outside Longford Shopping Centre at Rue Noyal Chatillon, Townspark in the town (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: His children will never see him again… I don't know how I will cope." Mr Justice White then imposed the mandatory life sentence on Lavickis, who waved at his own mother as he was led away.
Places mentioned
- The Central Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime
Related court reports
- No compensation for asthmatic garda ordered back on beat during Covid-19 surge
- Court refuses to reduce sentence for brothel keeper caught with child abuse material
- Cage fighter convicted of Shannon murder gets hearing date for miscarriage of justice application
- Strokestown assault conviction overturned by High Court
- Cage fighter seeks to have murder conviction declared a miscarriage of justice
- Men jailed over €415k cannabis grow houses in Galway
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request