Two men on trial over alleged murder in Athlone

The jury will resume its deliberations on Friday morning in the trial of two men charged with murdering a 23-year-old by beating him unconscious and leaving him to drown in a river.

The Central Criminal Court trial has heard that Patryk Krupa drowned in the Shannon while incapacitated with a head injury from a violent assault on June 20th, 2014.

Leszek Sychulec (34) of Drinan, Ballymahon, Co Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz (35), with an address in Warsaw, Poland, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Krupa at Bogganfin, Athlone, Co Roscommon.

The two are accused of having taken the deceased from the town to the banks of the Shannon, where they “pummeled him” unconscious and threw him into the river.

The court heard that when Mr Sychulec was arrested the day after the incident, Mr Krupa’s DNA was found in blood on his watch and sock.

Manslaughter

Mr Sychulec’s barrister argued that if Mr Krupa was alright after being assaulted, but later collapsed into water, responsibility might arise for assault or manslaughter, rather than murder.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the jury they could reach a manslaughter verdict if they thought there was no intention to kill or cause serious injury on the part of the accused, while they also had the choice of convicting of assault causing harm or serious harm.

The four women and eight men deliberated for an hour and 49 minutes on Thursday before being sent home for the night.