A young man who admitted stabbing the father of five children with a scissors was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court yesterday. The jury found Nigel McNamara (19), of O'Malley Park, Limerick, not guilty of the murder of Mr Gerard Power (34), also of O'Malley Park, on May 1st, 1995.
McNamara's plea of "not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter" was refused by the State at the beginning of his three day trial.
Mrs Justice McGuinness adjourned sentence to July 31st. Remanding McNamara in custody, she said he had a supportive family, and recommended he be sent to Limerick Prison if possible. The trial was told the stabbing occurred after an argument about responsibility for a burglary.