Nally to appeal conviction

A FARMER jailed for six years for shooting dead a Traveller on his land will this week make a bid for freedom.

Padraig Nally, who was last year sentenced for the manslaughter of father-of-11 John “Frog” Ward, is set to appeal against his conviction.

The Court of Criminal Appeal will hear Nally’s case on Thursday.

In July, a jury found the 61-year-old, of Funshinaugh, Cross, Co Mayo, not guilty of the murder of Mr Ward.

The 42-year-old had been shot twice and beaten 20 times with a stick.

Nally’s legal team claim the trial judge’s decision to direct the jury to find Nally guilty of manslaughter, having failed to agree a conviction for murder, could be questioned. They also argue he refused to allow them to consider a full defence argument of self-defence, which could have seen him walk free.