Three plead guilty to assault after State withdraws manslaughter charges

Three men accused of the manslaughter of a 65-year-old farmer over a land dispute had the unlawful killing charge against them dropped by the State today as they pleaded guilty to assault instead.

The trial of the three men for manslaughter in Rylane, in Co Cork, was delayed until this afternoon at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. By 3pm, following talks outside the courtroom, prosecution senior counsel, Tom O’Connell, said the prosecution was entering a nolle prosequi on the manslaughter charge and the three accused were pleading guilty to assault causing harm.