Courts / Dublin / Report

Trial ends as son accused of murdering father admits to manslaughter

Summary

In a Dublin trial that began in August 2018, David Fortune, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his father, Gerard Fortune, aged 62, who was stabbed in the neck at their family home in Crumlin. On the fifth day of the trial, the prosecution accepted a plea of manslaughter, and the jury was discharged. The judge ordered a probation report and a sentencing hearing for February 26, 2021, with victim impact statements to be heard then. The court heard that the fatal assault occurred after a day of drinking and drug taking in a granny flat, with witnesses describing the accused as paranoid and hallucinating after taking tablets. The post‑mortem showed an 8 cm stab wound that cut the carotid artery and jugular vein, causing haemorrhage and shock. Fortune was remanded in custody until the sentencing date.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Trial ends as son accused of murdering father admits to manslaughter. Charges or matters: the murder of his father, Gerard (Gerry) on August 19, 2018 when the trial began at the Central Criminal Court last week. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• August 19, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 26, 2021 Adjournment
• 2020-11-23 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report