Courts / Kerry / Report

Five-year jail term for farmer who killed neighbour "too lenient", DPP to argue

Summary

In a two‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court, Kerry farmer Michael Ferris, aged 64, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for the death of neighbour Anthony O'Mahony, aged 73, after Ferris drove the prongs of a teleporter into O'Mahony's car on 4 April 2017. The jury, 10 to 2, accepted that the attack was deliberate and caused catastrophic injuries. Justice Carmel Stewart sentenced Ferris to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, and backdated the sentence to the day of the offence. The Director of Public Prosecutions has applied for a review, arguing the sentence was "unduly lenient", and the Court of Appeal has set a hearing for 2 December. Ferris's defence lawyer, Brendan Grehan SC, expressed remorse and cited cumulative provocation by O'Mahony. The O'Mahony family, represented by his niece Ann O'Carroll, has expressed that the outcome was insufficient and that a murder conviction would have been appropriate.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Five-year jail term for farmer who killed neighbour "too lenient", DPP to argue. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• April 4, 2017 Incident
• December 2 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-05-27 Publication

Why: The defence had argued that there had been cumulative provocation because of the behaviour of the deceased. Defence account reported by CNI

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report