Eamonn Lillis has been found guilty of the manslaughter of his wife Celine Cawley (46) at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin today.
The jury returned its verdict by a majority of ten votes to two shortly after 6pm this evening after deliberating for 9 hours.
In its finding, the jury said the State had failed to prove intent. Mr Justice Barry White told the jury they are discharged from jury service in the future should they wish.
Mr Lillis (52), a TV advertising producer, originally from Terenure in Dublin, has been remanded on bail to appear before the court next Thursday at 10:30am.
He had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife while their teenaged daughter was at school.
Ms Cawley was found dead at their home at Rowan Hill, Windgate Road, Howth on December 15th, 2008. Gardaí discovered her body in a comatose condition, lying in the back patio area of the house. She was given first aid at the scene and was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Ms Cawley was managing director of Toytown Productions, a commercial production company. Before that she had been a successful model.
Earlier today, the jurors had sought direction from Mr Justice White on the definitions in respect of the verdicts of murder, manslaughter and acquittal.
Mr Justice White told the court “to paraphrase, where a person kills another unlawfully, the killing shall not be a murder unless the person intended to kill or seriously injure.”
He said if the State “proves an unlawful killing, but fails to prove intent, then the appropriate verdict is manslaughter”.
Mr Justice White told the jury if they are to return a manslaughter verdict at least 10 of them must agree on the same reason, be that provocation, gross negligence self defence or a failure to prove intent.
He said the “accused is entitled to an absolute acquittal if the State fail to prove an unlawful killing”.
This morning the jury were told by the judge they could return a majority verdict. This means agreement by at least 10 out of the 12 jurors would be acceptable for a verdict.
The judge originally told the jury they had to make a unanimous verdict, but following two days of deliberations he gave them new directions today.
After requesting to examine the brick found near Ms Cawley's body, the jury resumed deliberations.
Yesterday the six women and six men listened to a recording of Mr Lillis giving his evidence up until the point where he said he dialled 999. They also listened to the recording of that call.
Mr Lillis first said he had found an intruder attacking her on the morning of December 15th, 2008, at their home, Rowan Hill, Windgate Road, Howth, Co Dublin. He has since admitted that there was no intruder.
The jury was sent home for a second evening yesterday after deliberating all day.