Ian Connaghan loses appeal against manslaughter sentence

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

Ian Connaghan has lost an appeal against his sentence for the manslaughter of Michael ‘Mick’ Mulvey. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on 21 January 2025.

At the Central Criminal Court on 4 December 2023, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced Ian Connaghan to nine years’ imprisonment, with the final year suspended for three years. His brother Daniel Connaghan received five years, with the final year suspended for three years, for intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Mr Mulvey.

Both brothers pleaded not guilty to murder, intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm, and assault causing harm. The proceedings were reported on 1 August 2023.

A unanimous jury found both men not guilty of murder, convicted Ian Connaghan of manslaughter and convicted Daniel Connaghan of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm.

Mr Mulvey died on 27 November 2019, 13 days after he was injured in two attacks. The prosecution contended that his injuries substantially contributed to his death. Ian Connaghan’s defence argued that Mr Mulvey had been in poor health and that it was implausible his death was a natural and probable consequence of the assault. Defence pathologist Professor Jack Crane found that the cause of death was ischemic heart disease; a pathologist consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions said Mr Mulvey would not have died but for his rib fractures.

On appeal, Ian Connaghan’s counsel argued that the sentencing judge should have placed the offence in the middle culpability range and said the assaults were effectively unpremeditated. Mr Justice John Edwards said the Court of Appeal was satisfied that the second attack involved significant premeditation and that the aggravating factors justified the higher range.