Ruling due on Nally appeal

A farmer appealing his sentence for shooting a Traveller dead on his land will learn his fate later today.

Padraig Nally has waited months for the outcome of his legal bid against a six-year sentence.

Mr Nally, of Funshinaugh, Cross, Co Mayo, was jailed for the manslaughter of father-of-11 John Ward in 2004.

Senior counsel for the farmer argued that trial judge Mr Justice Paul Carney had not allowed the jury to consider a defence of self-defence, and therefore had not allowed them to bring in an acquittal.

At the trial Mr Justice Paul Carney told the jury they could only bring in a verdict of either guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter.

The three-judge panel sitting in the Criminal Court of Appeal will give its ruling this morning.