Sentencing delayed in manslaughter trial

A Mayo man who killed his sister’s partner in a laneway brawl will have to wait until the New Year to learn of his sentence.

Fintan McKenna (aged 24), of Woodlands, Balla, Castlebar had denied the murder of Francis ‘Frankie’ Heneghan in Kiltimagh, Co Mayo on August 12, 2009.

A Central Criminal Court jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict following a 10-day trial in November.

Mr Justice John Edwards said the court was operating under time constraints and that it would be unsatisfactory and unfair to attempt to “shoehorn” the hearing in to the half-hour period available.

Mr Heneghan, a construction worker and father-of-three, bleed to death in a laneway seconds after being stabbed 11 times.

The State had argued that there was considerable animosity between McKenna and Mr Heneghan, because Mr Heheghan had been unfaithful to Grace McKenna, the sister of the defendant.

They claimed Mr McKenna, originally from Artane in Dublin, stabbed Mr Heneghan eleven times following an altercation in a laneway at the side of the Tavern pub in Kiltimagh.

Mr McKenna admitted to gardaí that he stabbed Mr Heneghan twice in the chest in self-defence, but insisted he could not have killed him.

Mr Justice Edwards remanded McKenna in custody and adjourned sentencing until January 17 next.

There were shouts of “a complete joke” and audible crying from members of the public gallery at the close of the hearing.