Limerick man guilty of manslaughter of son

A jury has returned a verdict of manslaughter in the trial of a Co Limerick man accused of the murder of his son in 1999.

The jury found 54-year-old Gerry Connell not guilty of the murder of his son, 25-year-old Barry, at the family home in Clyduff West, Lisnagry, Co Limerick on June 9, 1999.

The jury spent a total of seven and a half hours deliberating.

Sentencing has been put back until next Tuesday.

During the trial, the jury heard that Barry Connell had been diagnosed with acute manic psychosis.

A month before the shooting, his father signed him into a psychiatric unit, but he was back home within days.

At the time he was shot, he had threatened to drive a tractor through the house.

His father told the jury he was "worn out" and "scared" when he took a shotgun from his bed and went outside and shot him.