A man was jailed for life yesterday after being found guilty, in a majority verdict by a jury, of the murder of his twin sister's boyfriend.
The Central Criminal Court jury found Michael John Connors (26), Ferdia Park, Ardee, Co Louth, guilty of murdering Mr Patrick Gallagher (44) at his home in Ardee on February 7th, 2000.
Members of Mr Gallagher's family wept and another said a silent "thank you" to the jury as the guilty verdict was read out.
The jury heard that the deceased was attacked with a hammer and broom as he lay on a mattress alongside Ms Susan Connors. He died from multiple injuries - including a punctured lung and ruptures to the liver and spleen - and his chest was impaled with the broken shaft of the broom handle.
The evidence was that Ms Connors had spent the previous day drinking with Mr Gallagher and was asleep when the fatal attack took place. At closing time, they went back to Mr Gallagher's flat where Ms Connors fell into a drunken stupor on a mattress on the sitting room floor. Shortly afterwards, Michael Connors broke down the door of the flat armed with a hammer and attacked Mr Gallagher on the mattress. Another man, Patrick Murphy, accompanied Connors to the flat but the evidence was that he did not participate in the attack.
Connors and his mother disapproved of the relationship between Susan Connors and the deceased, who was 20 years her senior and a heavy drinker.
The jury had also heard that Susan and Michael Connors had spent two years together in foster care in Britain after the break-up of their parents' marriage.
Defence counsel had told the court that alcohol was "the vile vehicle" that affected everyone involved it the case.
Thanking the jury members for their careful consideration, Mr Justice O'Donovan said "an awful lot of soul searching" must have gone into the verdict. He released them from further service for life.
Imposing the mandatory life sentence, Mr Justice O'Donovan refused leave to appeal.