A man has admitted the road rage killing of another motorist in Dublin.
Karl Donohoe (30), from Fisherman's Wharf, Ringsend, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of construction worker Raymond Bates in September 2010.
Father-of-three Mr Bates, from Peterlee, Co Durham, died in hospital four days after being beaten around the head with a hurley stick in Dublin 4.
Mr Bates (49) had been in Ireland working on a gas pipeline. His killer was due to go on trial for murder at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin today, when he entered a guilty plea for the lesser charge.
The case was listed for trial when the packed courtroom heard Donohoe was ready to be arraigned.
Dressed in a navy suit, he replied: "Not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter."
Isobel Kennedy, senior counsel for the State, said the plea was acceptable to the prosecution.
Senior counsel for Donohoe, Brendan Grehan, said his client wanted to take the opportunity to apologise to the Bates family - who were in court for the short hearing. "He said it was a moment of madness on his part and he is sorry for his actions," Mr Grehan added.
Mr Justice Paul Carney remanded Donohoe in custody until sentencing on April 16th, when a victim impact statement from the Bates family will be read in court.
The assault took place on September 26th, 2010 at the junction of Sandymount Road and Tritonville Road in Ringsend. Both Mr Bates and Donohoe drove away from the scene before a witness reported the assault to the Garda.
The victim went to St Vincent's Hospital the following day after becoming unwell, and was transferred to Beaumont Hospital where he fell into a coma and died on September 30th.
Donohoe was arrested and initially charged with assault causing serious harm. The Director of Public Prosecutions later ordered that he should be charged with murder and the lesser charge was struck out.