Life sentence for man who killed Cork father of five

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the murder of a 42-year-old father of five in a shooting in Co. Cork.

Michael Collins of Upper Kilmona, Grenagh, Co. Cork had denied the murder of Packie Hogan at Glen road, Ballinaraha, Blarney on February 10 2011.

The jury of four men and eight women took just three hours and 35 minutes to find him guilty of the murder charge and two firearms offences.

Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory life sentence on Collins, backdated for nine months to take account of time served.

Sentencing on the firearms charges was deferred until tomorrow.

The trial had heard how Collins had ambushed Hogan when he lay in wait for him in a ditch before killing him with a shot to the back.