A MAN who accidentally stabbed and killed his friend during a New Year's Eve party fracas has been jailed for 18 months by a judge in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, despite a plea for leniency from the victim's father.
Judge Kevin Haugh yesterday said he was primarily sentencing Kevin Costello for carrying the knife and consequently also imposing the same sentence on the manslaughter charge
The jury took just over 21/2 hours on Thursday to convict. Costello (22), of Limekiln Green, Dublin, of the manslaughter of Christopher Baitson (17), carrying the knife and further charges of riot and affray in Tallaght on December 31st, 1993.
Evidence had been given by witnesses to Mr Gregory Murphy SC (with Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh), prosecuting, that Costello and the victim were members of a local group who called themselves the "Trads".
One of their members had been thrown out of the party in Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, because of his drunken behaviour. He then kicked in the door and was beaten up by some of the Kilnamanagh people.
The "Trads" left for a party in their own area but later returned to Kilnamanagh to exact revenge. They forced their way into the house but were forced to flee when a man ran at them with a shovel. During this melee, Costello accidentally stabbed his friend.
The victim's father, Mr Christopher Baitson Snr, told Mr Brendan Grogan SC (with Ms Melanie Greally), defending, he did not feel any animosity towards Costello and his family did not want to see him jailed.