'The world is better off without him', Tipperary man said after killing mother's partner
Andrew Nash — through defence senior counsel Ray Boland — expressed his 'very sincere remorse and regret at the death of John Ustic'. Picture: Dan Linehan
The 43-year-old man facing sentence for the manslaughter of his late mother’s 51-year-old partner in Skibbereen in 2017 told friends the day after the killing that “the world is better off without him”.
Detective Sergeant Kevin Long confirmed to prosecution senior counsel Seán Gillane that Andrew Nash, with an address in Thurles, Co Tipperary, made this comment to friends the next day.
The media were reporting on that day there had been a violent death in Skibbereen and “Mr Nash said words to the effect that that the world won’t miss him or the world is better off without him".
However, on Friday at the sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, Andrew Nash — through defence senior counsel Ray Boland — expressed his “very sincere remorse and regret at the death of John Ustic”.
Mr Boland said despite their disagreements from time to time they had also gotten on well together over the years. He said Nash would never have gone to Skibbereen that day but for the fact he had received a phone call from his mother, who was in a relationship with the deceased.
Det Sgt Long said Suzanne Fenton died of natural causes last December and that she consistently told gardaí investigating this case that her late partner John Ustic was never violent towards her. The detective said witnesses did say they had heard her tell her son, Andrew Nash, of alleged assaults on her by the late Mr Ustic from time to time.
Mr Justice Michael McGrath said after hearing an outline of the background, victim impact evidence and legal submissions that he would impose sentence on Andrew Nash on July 21 at the Central Criminal Court sitting on that day in Dublin.
In her victim impact statement, Mr Ustic's daughter Paige Edens said: “I cannot even think of the words to describe how this has changed my life forever — you do not imagine that a human being could be so cruel in the acts they commit.
“The last time I ever spoke to my dad was just before I set off to travel America. He cried down the phone in happiness and excitement that I was finally starting to live large, and he was eagerly waiting for me to return home to hear all about my good times.
"Five days into my trip is when I got the call that you had taken him from me. And because of you, I will never be able to uphold my promise and share all the good things in my life with him.
“Dad was the only person who understood what it was like to be an outsider in this world, who really understood me and was proud of everything I did, who loved me no matter what and made a point of telling me all the time.
“You may have pleaded guilty, and you will serve your time, but always carry with you that this will never be forgotten, and you will never be forgiven for the pain you have caused me for the rest of my life.”
Andrew Nash had previous convictions including one for assault causing harm for which he got his only prison sentence to date — a term of six months in 2015.
His former partner, Karen Freeman, said in a letter read to the court that while she and Andy had their ups and downs like any couple, “he is a man with a good heart” who had a good relationship with his children and grandchildren.
Originally from Yorkshire, he lived in Ireland from the age of seven and was very close to his mother, Mr Boland said.
Mid-way through the trial, which opened on July 10, he changed his plea to one of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and this was acceptable to the prosecution.
Both the accused and the deceased had a lot to drink. The deceased had a potentially lethal level of alcohol at 477 mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of blood at the time of his death. The pathologist found that defending himself would have been greatly reduced by this high level of intoxication.
The violence of injuries were described on Friday by Det Sgt Long. The pathologist said the fatal injuries were inflicted in Mr Ustic’s home at High Street, Skibbereen. At one stage, as he lay defenceless on the floor, Andrew Nash put a broken bottle on the side of Mr Ustic’s head and then stamped on it. He also lifted a sofa and brought it down repeatedly on the head of the victim.
Earlier that Sunday in September 2017, passers-by had seen the victim lying on the ground in a carpark in Skibbereen groaning. “Attempts were made by passers-by to knock at the local Garda station but it was closed,” Mr Gillane said.
Shortly after this, Andrew Nash and his friend Thomas Fitchett picked up Mr Ustic and carried him back to the house on High Street, CCTV showed his feet dragging along the ground as he was brought home.
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