Jury returns verdict of manslaughter in Dunmanway trial

A jury returned a 10-2 majority verdict today against a middle-aged Fermoy woman of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter in the case where the victim was found weeks later submerged in a slurry pit.

Una Geaney, aged 45, of Mullinagleamig, Dingle, County Kerry, and originally from Fermoy, County Cork, had denied murdering Gary Bull, aged 37, at Shanlaragh, Dunmanway, Co Cork, on September 23 2007.

The jury of eight men and four women had been deliberating since Tuesday afternoon, throughout Wednesday and finally knocked on the door of the jury room at 12.30am, yesterday indicating that they had reached their verdict.

Mr Justice Paul Carney thanked the jury for the time taken in a distressing case and exempted them from jury service for life. He remanded Geaney in custody for sentencing at the Central Criminal Court on June 7.

Jason Thomas and Amanda McNabb were subsequently charged with murder but both of them pleaded guilty to manslaughter and will be sentenced on June 7 at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Justice Carney directed the preparation of victim impact evidence which will come from family of the deceased.