Courts / Roscommon / Report

Judge tells murder trial jury it can reach alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault

Summary

At the Central Criminal Court, the jury in the trial of two men charged with murdering a 23-year-old man in County Roscommon has been instructed that it may return alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, from Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Patryk Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone on 20 June 2014. Both deny a further charge of false imprisonment on the same date. The trial heard that Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon following a violent assault that rendered him unconscious. Mr Justice Tony Hunt advised the jury it could return a manslaughter conviction if it found there was no intention to kill or cause serious injury, or alternatively convict of assault causing harm. DNA evidence linked Mr Sychulec to the deceased. The jury commenced deliberations before lunchtime.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Judge tells murder trial jury it can reach alternative verdicts of manslaughter or assault. Charges or matters: murdering Mr Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, Co Roscommon. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• June 20th, 2014 Incident
• 2016-04-21 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report