A 17-year-old youth was sentenced yesterday to five years when convicted of violent disorder after a jury at the Circuit Court in Galway was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of the manslaughter of a Tipperary man during a late night fracas in Galway city centre.
Judge Raymond Groarke imposed the sentence on Gerry Barry, of St James's Crescent, Mervue, who had denied the unlawful killing of Mr Colm Phelan, of Main Street, Roscrea, at Eyre Square, on July 21st, 1996, and also pleaded not guilty to a charge of engaging in violent disorder on the same occasion.