A CO Tipperary man jailed for life for the manslaughter of another man shot dead in a “premeditated execution” at a house party has had his sentence altered to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The Court of Criminal Appeal ruled Leigh Crowe was entitled to a finite term in prison.
The court said that Crowe’s plea of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder was accepted by the DPP but had not been taken into account when the life sentence was imposed by Mr Justice Paul Carney.
Crowe (34), had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in 2007 to the manslaughter of 25-year-old Owen Cahill at a party in a house in Clonmel in April 2006. He also admitted the attempted murder of Mark Doolan and an assault at the same party.
Crowe was one of two masked men who entered the house armed with shotguns. His trial heard Crowe’s accomplice walked up to Mr Cahill and shot him in the face at point blank range. Mr Cahill died almost instantly.
The appeals court believed the acceptance of the plea of diminished responsibility meant Crowe was entitled to a shorter sentence.