Twin brothers jailed for manslaughter of Ionel Nicolae Diaconu

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

Eric and Sean Farrell were each sentenced to seven years and six months for the manslaughter of Ionel Nicolae Diaconu, with the final 18 months suspended for the rest of their lives. If either is convicted of an indictable offence at any time, he may be required to serve the suspended term.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed the sentences at the Central Criminal Court on June 15, 2026. The proceedings were reported on June 15, 2026.

The brothers had each been charged with murdering Mr Diaconu at their Tallaght home on December 11, 2023. They pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, and the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted their pleas. An earlier charge of causing serious harm to Mr Diaconu against Eric Farrell had been withdrawn.

The court was told the manslaughter admissions were accepted on the basis that both men took part. Eric Farrell told gardaí that only he had stabbed Mr Diaconu and that Sean Farrell had not harmed him. A neighbour reported seeing a person wearing a distinctive hoodie like Sean Farrell's making striking motions towards the floor. Eric Farrell said Mr Diaconu was on Sean when Eric stabbed him, explaining the blood on his brother's hoodie.

Mr Justice Hunt said the brothers had acted under a genuine but mistaken sense that they were under threat. He cited the violence and weapons as aggravating factors and their youth, remorse, lack of previous convictions, employment and pro-social lives as mitigating factors. He found them equally culpable on a joint-enterprise basis, while noting that Sean Farrell may have played a lesser role in inflicting injuries.