A MAN who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Kerry 12 years ago will be sentenced for the killing today.
Robert Anthony (61), with a previous address at Derrylough, Kenmare, Co Kerry, fatally stabbed Philip O’Sullivan (19) during a scuffle at his home on August 22nd, 1997.
Det Insp Barry O’Rourke from Killarney Garda station told the Central Criminal Court yesterday that Anthony had moved to Kenmare from London in 1991.
He had a long history of criminal activity and a number of previous convictions. He lived near the victim, whom he had known for many years, and was also familiar with the victim’s family.
Det Insp O’Rourke described how, at one stage, there had been tension between the two men because of a relationship the victim had had with a former girlfriend of Anthony, but that the pair had settled their differences some months previously.
On the day of the killing, Anthony, his then girlfriend Miranda Moynihan and O’Sullivan had been socialising in bars around Kenmare.
At about 9pm on the night of the killing, Anthony, Ms Moynihan and her young daughter had travelled in Anthony’s car.
Later O’Sullivan arrived at Anthony’s home. He let himself in through the back entrance of the house. Anthony emerged from the bathroom to find O’Sullivan and Ms Moynihan talking in the kitchen.
Anthony asked O’Sullivan to leave and when he refused, Anthony reached for a knife and threatened him. O’Sullivan struck Anthony a blow to the stomach. A scuffle broke out during which Anthony stabbed O’Sullivan in the groin. O’Sullivan walked out of the front door of the house, staggered a few metres, collapsed and died. The weapon was later retrieved by gardaí from a window sill.
Anthony was arrested and told gardaí he deeply regretted his actions. However, he jumped bail and fled to Turkey. He later moved back to Britain where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison by Harrow crown court for a number of offences, including robbery.
He was extradited to Ireland in 2008, having served his sentence.
In a victim impact statement, Joanne O’Sullivan, the victim’s sister, who was 14 at the time of the killing, said her brother’s death had left a void in their lives.
She said her family had suffered enormously as the result of her parents losing a “fantastic son”, and her “a fantastic brother”.
Ms O’Sulllivan also told the court of her brother’s passion for music and sport as a keen accordion player and amateur boxer.
Hugh Hartnett SC, defending, submitted a letter in which Anthony apologised to the court and to O’Sullivan’s family. He said his “unforgivable actions” would “haunt” him forever.
Following O’Sullivan’s death he had sunk into a world of drug addiction in an attempt to escape.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said he did not know whether Anthony’s letter of apology acted “as a mitigation or an aggravation” given that the victim’s family had been robbed of justice for 12 years.