Courts / Kilkenny / Report
Killer should welcome manslaughter verdict 'like drowning man clinging to a life raft', judge says
Summary
In a High Court sentencing hearing on 19 December 2022, Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced 35‑year‑old Garret Smith to 14 years 6 months' imprisonment, with 12 months suspended, for the manslaughter of 46‑year‑old Edward "Liam" O'Sullivan. Smith was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter because he was too intoxicated to intend the killing. The judge described the jury as "charitable and merciful" and urged Smith to accept the verdict as "like a drowning man clinging to a life raft." Smith had been drinking for about 18 hours and was likely abusing prescription medication. He had been seen on CCTV at a Circle K garage and later in O'Sullivan's Kilkenny apartment, where a violent altercation escalated. Smith stamped and punched O'Sullivan, inflicting fatal injuries. The judge noted Smith's previous convictions and the impact on O'Sullivan's family, but emphasised that the sentence reflected the circumstances and Smith's intoxication.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Killer should welcome manslaughter verdict 'like drowning man clinging to a life raft', judge says. Charges or matters: manslaughter; violent disorder. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 6, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-12-19 Publication
Why: Mr Justice Hunt said he had to be circumspect about Ms Walsh's evidence because it is unlikely that the jury accepted everything she said. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: manslaughter; violent disorder (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: As he sentenced Garret Smith to 13 years and six months today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that the deceased, Edward 'Liam' O'Sullivan, was killed in his home where he was entitled to feel safe.
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Supreme Court
- St John's Park
- High Hayes Terrace
Topics
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