Richard Burke jailed for manslaughter of Jasmine McMonagle

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

Richard Burke was sentenced on 22 May 2023 to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter of Jasmine McMonagle, with the final year suspended for five years.

Before his release, Burke must undergo a psychiatric assessment and comply with the medical regime put in place by doctors. He must also comply with probation service requirements or serve the final year. The sentence was backdated to January 2019, when he first entered custody.

Burke, of Killygordon, Co Donegal, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McMonagle at Forest Park, Killygordon, on 4 January 2019, but guilty to manslaughter. The proceedings were reported on 20 March 2023.

A jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Monaghan unanimously found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The verdict was reported on 23 March 2023.

Ms McMonagle, a 28-year-old mother of two, was strangled and severely beaten in her home. Gardaí forced their way in after a stand-off with Burke and found her in the kitchen.

Two psychiatrists agreed that Burke was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killing which substantially diminished his responsibility. Sentencing him, Mr Justice Paul Burns cited the violence used, the presence of children in the home and Burke’s deliberate use of drugs and alcohol despite his condition. He also noted that Burke had failed to comply with his medication.