Wicklow man found not guilty of manslaughter

A 24-year-old Co Wicklow man has been acquitted of the manslaughter of his sister’s boyfriend at a family wedding in 2000.

Ronan Byrne, South Quay, Arklow was found not guilty by a unanimous verdict of the jury which deliberated for over three hours on the third day of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The jury of eight women and four men failed to reach a verdict on a count of assault causing harm and Judge Frank O’Donnell listed it for mention on July 12.

Mr Byrne was remanded on continuing bail to that date.

He had denied unlawfully killing 29-year-old Mr John Sherwood on September 15, 2000.

He had also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Sherwood causing him harm at Lawless’ Hotel on September 9, 2000.

During the course of the trial the court heard that Mr Byrne hit Mr Sherwood once in the face after the pair argued in the car park of the hotel on the night of Mr Byrne’s sister’s wedding.

Mr Sherwood was the boyfriend of Catherine Byrne, another sister of the accused, and the incident happened after the couple had argued inside the hotel and the deceased then left, where an altercation occurred with Mr Byrne in the car park.

Ms Catherine Byrne told Ms Mary Rose Gearty BL, prosecuting, that they had an argument in their room in the hotel because he wanted them to leave to go a nightclub in Arklow.

Ms Byrne said her sister would have gone made if she left and pleaded with Mr Sherwood to stay for just one night.

He stormed out of the room and the hotel, saying he was going to walk to Arklow. She went after him and met her brother Ronan Byrne at the hotel’s reception. She told him to go after Mr Sherwood and stop him from leaving.

She said she ran out in to the car park and saw Mr Byrne punch Mr Sherwood once in the face and he fell to the ground.

Ms Byrne said her boyfriend had blood on his lip and the back of his head.

Eventually Des Walsh, the father of the groom, turned up and drove the three people back to the home of Catherine Byrne and John Sherwood.

Over the course of the next couple of days he began to get quite sick and was taken to Loughlinstown Hospital before being later transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where he died on September 15.

Other witnesses also said they saw Mr Byrne striking Mr Sherwood once but Kevin Byrne, a brother of the accused, said the deceased was about to head-butt the accused before he punched him.

The jury were told at the start of the trial that self defence could not only be used as a defence to manslaughter but also to assault.

Ms Gearty read to the jury the conclusion of the report compiled by State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, which said Mr Sherwood died from respiratory distress caused by head injuries he received from a "mild punch".

Dr Cassidy reported that the injuries inflicted on the deceased led to a comatose state which caused a chest infection leading to death.

His injuries were caused by one punch and a subsequent fall to the ground. He died from respiratory distress caused by head injuries.