David Mahon found guilty of manslaughter in Dublin

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

David Mahon was found guilty of manslaughter and cleared of murdering Dean Fitzpatrick at the Central Criminal Court on 6 May 2016. The trial judge was Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan.

He had pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 6 May 2016.

Dean Fitzpatrick, 23, bled to death from a single stab wound to the abdomen on 26 May 2013 following a late-night row over a bicycle water bottle. The report said Mahon had persuaded him to come to his apartment at Burnell Square, Northern Cross, Dublin. The trial heard that Fitzpatrick ran downstairs, collapsed outside and bled to death internally.

The State argued that Mahon was drunk, angry and agitated when he thrust a knife into Fitzpatrick with deadly intent. Mahon claimed the death was an accident or possible suicide. He said Fitzpatrick had pulled a knife on him in the apartment, that he had wrestled it from him and put it in his pocket, and that Fitzpatrick walked onto it when he took it out to show him.

The jury returned a majority verdict of 10 to two after deliberating for eight hours and 16 minutes over three days.

Mr Guerin applied for bail, pointing out that his client had lived in Spain after the incident but returned home to be charged. The State objected, and the judge remanded Mahon in custody for sentencing on 30 May 2016.