Courts / Tipperary / Report
'No one knows what happened': man who claimed friend had 'gone crazy' accepts culpability for killing
Summary
A 29-year-old man, Tomasz Rozpeda, was sentenced for manslaughter after his friend, Maciej Nowak, died from blunt force trauma during an incident on St Stephen's Day in 2023. Rozpeda had initially been charged with murder but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The court heard that Nowak had consumed excessive amounts of amphetamines and alcohol, but the cause of death was determined to be the result of the trauma, not the drugs. Rozpeda claimed that Nowak had become violent and self-harming, but the pathologist's report indicated that the injuries were not self-inflicted. Rozpeda had no prior convictions in Ireland, though he had three in Poland. The court heard victim impact statements from Nowak's sister and fiancée, who described the emotional devastation caused by his death. The judge noted that Rozpeda accepted responsibility and that the case fell in the medium range of culpability, with a headline sentence of between four and ten years. Rozpeda was remanded in custody until his sentencing in July.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'No one knows what happened': man who claimed friend had 'gone crazy' accepts culpability for killing. Charges or matters: manslaughter when he was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 26 Incident
- December 27, 2023 Incident
- December 28 Incident
- December 28, 2023 Incident
- June 2024 Other
- July 6 Adjournment
- 2026-05-19 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: manslaughter when he was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: At the outset of today's sentence hearing, Detective Inspector Declan Boland from Thurles Garda Station detailed the background of the incident, telling Mr Berry that a phone call was placed by Rozpeda to emergency services on the morning of December 27, 2023. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon remanded Rozpeda in custody until July 6, when he will be sentenced.; Ms Justice Eileen Creedon remanded Rozpeda in custody until July 6, when he will be sentenced.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Tipperary
- Tipperary town
- DPP's view
- Declan Boland from Thurles Garda Station
- Thurles
Topics
Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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