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Jury gone out in Oughterard manslaughter trial
Galway Bay fm newsroom – The jury in the trial of a man accused of the manslaughter of Oughterard publican John Kenny in 2011 has gone out to begin deliberations.
Marian Lingurar Jnr. (24), with an address at Blackpool, Co. Cork, is charged with the unlawful killing of John Kenny on September 25th, 2011, as well as a second charge of tresspass.
Marian Lingurar Jnr. worked at the bar that night as a bouncer and it’s the prosecutions case that he left at around 1.30am, only to return around 2.20am as part of a plan to steal from John Kenny and commit violence if necessary.
Both the prosecution and defence have now given closing statements to the jury, with both focusing on the fact that all evidence in the case is entirely circumstantial.
The prosecution described mobile phone data as the ‘real clincher’ in the case, as it places Marian Lingurar Jnr. and his father back in Oughterard between 2.20 and 3am – a time when the accused said he was at home in bed.
Mr. Patrick Gageby SC also said that ‘extraordinary’ communication between Lingurar Jnr. and another man named Vasile Muntean in Oughterard that night between 10pm and 3am proves that they were up to something amongst themselves.
He said it was clear that Marian Lingurar Jnr. was “up to his armpits” in the crime committed at Kenny’s Bar and was a “pivotal part” of the plan, which involved up to five individuals.
Gardai found fingerprints belonging to Vasile Muntean in Kenny’s Bar and witnesses and phone records placed him in Oughterard that night – but Marian Lingurar Jnr. told Gardai he did not know him and had not communicated with him.
However, defence counsel Colman Fitzpatrick SC told the jury that in order to convict Marian Lingurar Jnr., that they must be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that he knew John Kenny was likely to suffer an assault.
He noted that the prosecution had not made any case that Marian Lingurar Jnr. had himself assaulted John Kenny, but that he was part of a plan which was prepared to use violence if needed.
He pointed out that evidence shows that John Kenny was extremely intoxicated to the point of being incapacitated; why, he asked, would one think that restraint or violence would be required to steal from the premises.
The jury of 7 men and 4 women is now beginning deliberations on separate charges of manslaughter and trespass with intent to commit an offense.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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