Michael Collins jailed for life for 2011 murder

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

Michael Collins was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder by Mr Justice Paul Carney. The proceedings were reported on 29 November 2012. Patrick ‘Packie’ Hogan was shot dead in Co Cork on 10 February 2011.

Collins told gardaí that Hogan had pressurised two of his brothers over drug debts. He said that, as a result of this pressure, one brother took his own life and another attempted suicide. Collins also said Hogan had threatened to kill him.

Collins admitted in garda interviews that he fired the fatal shot. He denied the charges of murder, possession of a rifle and possession of ammunition. After deliberating for a little over three and a half hours, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all three counts.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.