Courts / Cork / Report

'King of Mitchelstown' drank 20 pints on day he killed friend, court hears

Date
2020-03-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Mitchelstown

County
Cork

Summary

Michael Dineen, aged 28, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, for the manslaughter of Patrick 'Ginty' O'Donnell, aged 36, who died after a pub fight on 1 June 2018. Dineen had consumed 20 pints that day and repeatedly punched O'Donnell in the head and face for about a minute, delivering kicks to his body. He had previously been on bail for breaking another man's jaw. The judge noted the attack was one‑sided and unequal, with O'Donnell suffering severe injuries including loss of teeth, fractured nose and internal bleeding. Dineen pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 12 years to nine years due to mitigating factors such as remorse, apology and psychiatric history. The suspended year will be lifted if Dineen abstains from alcohol and remains under probation supervision.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'King of Mitchelstown' drank 20 pints on day he killed friend, court hears. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

December 6 Incident
June 1, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
March 15, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
2020-03-02 Publication

Why: Passing sentence this evening, Mr Justice Owens noted that the reality of the jury's verdict last December was that Dineen did not intend to cause serious harm to Mr O'Donnell because he was too drunk. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed accused

Defendant

Outcome: A Cork man who killed his friend by repeatedly punching him in the head during a pub row after drinking 20 pints has been jailed for eight years for manslaughter. Dineen was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the last year suspended, backdated to March 15, 2019.