CCTV footage was played at a Mullingar Circuit Court hearing on Tuesday of a Co Offaly man being punched before he died on a stag night in Athlone.
Paul “Babs” Connolly (48), of Edenderry, Co Offaly died in the early hours of August 13th, 2022, on Church Street, Athlone after falling at least twice during a number of physical altercations, involving punches and kicks, with two other men, namely David Higgins of St Paul’s Terrace, Athlone, and Seán Munnelly (39), of Irishtown, Athlone.
Munnelly was produced from Limerick Prison to Mullingar Circuit Court on Tuesday to appear before Judge Deirdre Browne for sentencing regarding the manslaughter of Connolly.
Higgins was previously jailed by Judge Keenan Johnson for one year for assault causing harm to Connolly and engaging in violent disorder.
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On the CCTV footage played on Tuesday, a man, who contacted emergency services, is seen performing chest compressions on Connolly, who was immobile and lying on the ground on Church Street outside the Prince of Wales Hotel.
A female nurse, who was out socialising at the time, can also be seen trying to give assistance to Connolly.
Barrister Cathal Ó Braonáin, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the nurse also witnessed the final punch, which was delivered to Connolly’s temple by Munnelly.
Munnelly is seen in the footage to hold a cigarette in his other hand and remonstrating with Connolly before delivering the punch.
Members of Connolly’s family were emotional during the hearing, and some left the court while the footage was shown.
On the footage, prior to the final punch, three other members of the stag party are seen returning to the Prince of Wales Hotel, one of whom is seen running after Munnelly.
Munnelly is also seen to shake hands with members of this group.
Det Sgt Kevin Craig agreed with John Shortt, counsel for Munnelly, that no one in the stag party had appeared to understand or be aware of what had taken place between Connolly and Munnelly.
Craig agreed with Ó Braonáin that a witness said he heard Connolly ask a woman, who was sitting on benches close to the Prince of Wales hotel earlier that night, a question that appeared to trigger Munnelly, who was also sitting there at the time.
Craig said that Munnelly, who had his head bowed for much of Tuesday’s hearing, had been drinking.
Craig agreed that a garda recognised Munnelly later that day, and after a foot race, apprehended him and conveyed him to Athlone Garda station.
Ó Braonáin submitted that a headline sentence within the range of four to 10 years should be imposed. He disagreed with Shortt that this was “a single punch” case and referenced the CCTV footage.
Shortt submitted that the headline sentence should be within the zero to four years range.
Citing the pathologist’s report, Shortt said this was a “complex case” regarding the cause of death, and involved over 130 witnesses, and he submitted that it also involved provocation.
Two victim impact statements were read to the court, including one from Deirdre Lynch, sister of Connolly.
Lynch said Connolly had the “Babs” nickname as he was the youngest in the family and as a result was particularly close to his nephews and nieces, who would not now be able to share life milestones with him.
Browne conveyed her condolences to the Connolly family and said that she would deliver her ruling as to sentence on October 16th at Mullingar Circuit Court.
