Former Blackrock student guilty of manslaughter

One of the four former Blackrock College students facing charges in the death of a Dublin teenager outside a nightclub over three years ago has been found guilty of manslaughter and violent disorder.

After more than nine hours of deliberation in the past two days, a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last night found Dermot Laide, aged 22, of Rossvale, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, guilty on both counts. The offences relate to the violent death of 18-year-old student Brian Murphy outside Club Anabel at the Burlington Hotel on Sussex Rd, Dublin 4, on August 31, 2000.

The jury of eight men and four women returned a verdict of not guilty on a single charge of violent disorder against Laide’s former classmate, Andrew Frame. A charge of manslaughter against Mr Frame, aged 22, of Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, was withdrawn during the 32-day trial on the direction of the judge, due to insufficient evidence.

Mr Frame, a trainee stockbroker with Davy’s, left the court immediately after Judge Michael White told him he was free to go.

The jury has still to reach a verdict on counts of manslaughter and violent disorder against Seán Mackey, aged 23, of South Park, Foxrock, and Desmond Ryan, aged 23, Cunningham Road, of Dalkey, both Co Dublin. All four defendants had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Judge White instructed the jury at 5.20pm yesterday evening that he would accept a majority decision after they had failed to reach a unanimous verdict on any count.

More than 100 witnesses, including 49 who were outside the Burlington Hotel on the night of Mr Murphy’s death, gave evidence during one of the most high-profile legal cases of recent years.

The jury had earlier requested that the transcript of another former Blackrock pupil, Alan Dalton who had witnessed the row, be re-read to them.

At 6.35pm, the foreperson of the jury informed the court they had reached a decision on three of the seven charges.

They found Laide guilty of manslaughter on a 10-2 majority verdict. They also returned a unanimous verdict against him on the charge of violent disorder.

Mr Frame was also acquitted by a unanimous decision.

Afterwards, the jury were sent to a hotel for a second night before resuming their deliberation on the charges against Mr Mackey and Mr Ryan this morning.

Sentencing of Laide will not be determined until the jury has returned a verdict in the other cases.

Similar to most other days of the trial, Court No 23 was packed with family and relatives of both Mr Murphy and the four accused throughout yesterday.

However, due to strict reporting conditions imposed by Judge Smith, the media are prohibited from describing the reaction of the parties to the verdict.

Last night, Judge White repeated a warning that he would take a most serious view of any breach of sub-judice rules.