David Cully sentenced to life for murdering uncle

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

David Cully was sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court on 29 July 2015 for murdering his uncle, Edward O’Connor. Mr Justice Carroll Moran said the law obliged him to impose the sentence, backdated to 16 December 2013. The proceedings were reported on 29 July 2015.

Cully had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The killing occurred at Ballycoolin Road, Finglas West, on 15 December 2013. The court heard that his 41-year-old uncle died from two gunshot wounds to his back. The jury returned a unanimous murder verdict after deliberating for more than eight hours over three days.

The trial heard that both men attended an arranged fight between two other men, that Cully brought a gun and that he shot his uncle in the back after the fight. Cully claimed he acted in the heat of the moment after his uncle made a comment about somebody who had alleged sexual abuse against him. The court heard that the allegation had been investigated and the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided not to prosecute.

Cully told gardaí he had lost control and had no intention of doing what he did. He also said he had felt hatred towards his uncle since the allegation was made. Pauline Walley SC, prosecuting, said the jury had rejected his claim of provocation.

Caroline Biggs SC, defending, said Cully had 29 previous convictions for misuse of drugs, theft, road traffic offences and fraud.