Courts / Monaghan / Report
21-year-old admits to killing man in house fire
Summary
A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court for the death of a 61-year-old Monaghan man whose house was deliberately set alight in Carrickmacross in March 2016. Aaron McDonagh, of no fixed abode, initially faced a murder charge but entered a guilty plea to manslaughter and arson without lawful excuse. The prosecution counsel confirmed the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea on a full facts basis. The court heard the accused was 16 years old at the time of the incident. A psychiatric assessment led to arrangements for support during his court appearance. Mr Justice Michael White ordered preparation of a probation service report examining the accused's family background and directed a victim impact statement be prepared. McDonagh was remanded in custody pending a sentence hearing scheduled for June 14. The unnamed 21-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 21-year-old admits to killing man in house fire. Charges or matters: manslaughter for killing a Monaghan man by setting fire to his house five years ago; murder but guilty to manslaughter when the first charge was put to him by the registrar at the Central Criminal Court; committing arson without lawful excuse on the same date in that he did damage by fire to a dwellinghouse at St Macartans Villas, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, the property of Mr Marron, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged and intending by the said damage to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 21, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 14 Adjournment
- July 19 Adjournment
- 2021-03-10 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: manslaughter for killing a Monaghan man by setting fire to his house five years ago; murder but guilty to manslaughter when the first charge was put to him by the registrar at the Central Criminal Court; committing arson without lawful excuse on the same date in that he did damage by fire to a dwellinghouse at St Macartans Villas, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, the property of Mr Marron, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged and intending by the said damage to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: He remanded McDonagh in custody until June 14, when his sentence hearing will take place.; He remanded McDonagh in custody until June 14, when his sentence hearing will take place.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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