Man who beat his 'on and off' partner to death found guilty of manslaughter

The evidence of two psychiatrists in the trial was that Richard Burke was suffering from a mental disorder at the time

The jury had been told by trial judge Mr Justice Paul Burns that all the evidence in Richard Burke's trial pointed to a manslaughter verdict.

The man who beat his "on and off" partner Jasmine McMonagle to death as she crouched in a corner of her kitchen in a "senseless and horrific" attack, has been cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after a jury heard undisputed evidence that his responsibility was diminished by mental illness.

The jury had been told by trial judge Mr Justice Paul Burns that all the evidence in Richard Burke's trial pointed to a manslaughter verdict and the jury took just over one hour to agree, in a unanimous decision.