Man gets one year for manslaughter

A 54-year-old Co Limerick man has been sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty of the manslaughter of his son in June 1999.

Gerry Connell, of Clyduff West, Lisnagry, was sentenced to four years but Mr Justice Liam McKechnie suspended the final three years of the sentence.

Last week, a jury found Mr Connell not guilty of murdering his son, Barry, at the family home on June 9th, 1999.

However, they convicted him of manslaughter. The court heard that Mr Connell shot his son, who had psychiatric problems, after he threatened to drive a tractor through the house.