Man sentenced for manslaughter of girlfriend

A 53-year-old man who killed his girlfriend with a shotgun and dumped her tied-up body in the boot of a car has today been jailed for seven years.

Bernard Curran of The Weir, Lucan pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Helen Donegan at their apartment in Celbridge, Co Kildare, in May 2010.

The Central Criminal Court heard the car mechanic shot his partner accidentally, as she tried to stop him from taking his own life.

It took detectives seven weeks to find the mother-of-one's body.

Referring to the cover-up, Mr Justice Paul Carney said it was difficult to imagine a more callous treatment of the victim's family.