Homeless man gets life for Phoenix Park murder

A homeless man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a father of one, whose body he then set on fire in a Dublin park.

Ciaran Moran, aged 29, who is currently in jail for another killing, beat his victim over the head with a lump hammer. He photographed him and amputated his toe after murdering the 36-year-old from Tallaght, whom he knew was of considerable means.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Gerard Donnelly, an only child, owned two houses and had almost €150,000 in cash and savings at the time of his death. However, he suffered from an untreated illness and chose to live rough in the Phoenix Park, which was how the accused came to know him.