A Clonmel man walked free from the Central Criminal Court yesterday after he was cleared of the murder of another man in the Co Tipperary town two years ago. The jury of eight men and four women came to a majority verdict after 2 1/2 hours. They found Mr Paul Fitzgerald (29), of Garrymore, Clonmel, not guilty of murdering Francis Daniels (41), of Oliver Plunkett Terrace, on October 26th, 1997.
The 20-day trial heard Mr Daniels was beaten to death with a blunt instrument. The court had been told he was illiterate and had been in rehabilitation before his death.