Two women have admitted unlawfully killing a Derry pensioner who died ten months after being found unconscious in the street.
Daniel Guyler was rushed to hospital after he was discovering lying injured in the Termon Street area of the city on July 23rd, 2018.
The 75-year old never regained consciousness and died in Altnagelvin on May 1st, 2019.
Two women – Rhona Mary Gracey (36) with an address at Chobham Street in Belfast and 46-year old Sharon Mary Faustina Harland – were charged initially with both robbing Mr Guyler of his wallet in July 2018 and with his murder.
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The pair appeared via separate videolinks at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, where it emerged a charge of manslaughter had been added to the bill of indictment.
At a previous hearing, Gracey denied the murder charge, and when she appeared again on Monday entered a guilty plea to the manslaughter of Mr Guyler.
Co-accused Harland, from Bridge Street in Derry, denied the counts of murder and robbery but pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter.
Mr Justice O’Hara then addressed Crown prosecutor Neil Connor KC and asked: “In light of the fact that there are guilty pleas from both defendants to the count of manslaughter, can you indicate what the prosecution position is?”
Mr Connor replied: “That plea is acceptable, my lord, and therefore my application would be to leave the counts of murder and robbery, in respect of both accused, on the books not to be proceeded.”
Defence teams for both women said they would be seeking reports ahead of sentencing.
Frank O’Donoghue KC, representing Harland, told Mr Justice O’Hara his client has an “acute condition at play” and said one of the reports he required would be a psychiatric one.
Mr Justice O’Hara granted the request for time to compile and consider all reports and set the date for sentencing both defendants as Thursday December 15th next.