Karl Donohoe’s manslaughter sentence reduced on appeal

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

Karl Donohoe had his manslaughter sentence reduced from 12 years to 10 years, with the final two years suspended, by the Court of Appeal on 19 January 2015.

He pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ray Bates. The attack took place at the junction of Tritonville Road and Sandymount Road in Dublin on 26 September 2010. Bates died in hospital on 30 September 2010. The proceedings were reported on 19 January 2015.

Mr Justice Paul Carney had imposed the original sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, at the Central Criminal Court on 23 April 2012.

The appeal court comprised its president, Mr Justice Seán Ryan, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon. It found that the sentencing judge had placed the crime too high in the scale of gravity.

As a condition of the suspended portion of his sentence, Donohoe was required to enter a €1,000 bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour throughout that period.