Courts / Dublin / Report

Jury deliberating in machete murder trial

Date
2024-02-08
Stage
Trial
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a jury was instructed by Mr Justice Michael MacGrath that they could only return a verdict of guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter for Patrick McDonagh, 52, accused of killing his neighbour Peter McDonald, 73, on Whitechapel Road on 25 July 2020. The jury had spent about three hours deliberating and would reconvene on Monday, as one juror was unavailable on Friday. McDonagh had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State had not accepted. The judge explained that if the prosecution proved all elements of murder, the jury must then consider the defence of diminished responsibility under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, which requires the defence to prove that a mental disorder substantially reduced McDonagh's responsibility.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jury deliberating in machete murder trial. Charges or matters: murder. Procedural stage: trial

When:

Case subjects

Patrick McDonagh

Accused

Charges: murder (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Central Criminal Court
Residence
Address Area
  • Whitechapel Road

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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