An English man who beat and strangled his estranged wife to death in a Co Tipperary hotel was today jailed for 10 years after being convicted of her manslaughter.
After more than nine hours of deliberations at the Central Criminal Court, the jury, by a 10-2 majority, found 51-year-old John Collinson, with an address at Geos, the Netherlands, not guilty of murder, but guilty of the manslaughter of Rosie Collinson (51) of Bridge Street Carrick On Suir, at the Bell and Salmon Arms hotel on 3rd march 2002.
The defence of provocation was accepted by the jury.
The court heard that Rosie Collinson was "trapped in a situation of domestic violence" unknown to her family. After the verdict, the court heard evidence of previous injuries inflicted on the deceased, including a broken jaw and broken bones.
Days before the killing, she had contacted a women's refuge saying she was in fear of her estranged husband.
Today, the victim's brother told the court that his sister's body was identified only by her jewelry. Her remains were placed in a closed coffin because of horrific injuries to her face.
Jailing the accused for 10 years, Mr Justice Carney highlighted the fact that, when provocation is raised, the law does not protect the character or memory of the victim.
Collinson admitted beating and strangling the mother of his four children during a row over another man. He denied murdering her. The jury heard that he used "severe and violent force" to inflict multiple injuries when he attacked her in the hotel bedroom.
Collinson, who was married to the deceased for 33 years, lived and worked in the Netherlands. The evidence was that they had been living apart since 1996 when she returned to Ireland from England where they had raised the children, two sons and two daughters, now adults.
Five days before the killing, the accused returned to Carrick On Suir from Holland unannounced and checked in to the Bell and Salmon Arms. Detective Sergeant Derek O'Riordan, Clonmel, told the court that, during that week, the deceased appeared in fear of John Collinson. On the Monday and Tuesday, she twice contacted a social worker and had set up an appointment at a women's refuge for Wednesday but did not keep it.
On Thursday, she met the accused and returned her wedding and engagement rings. The evidence was that the previous year she had entered a new relationship with another man and was starting to rebuild her life.
On the day of the killing, the deceased went with John Collinson to Waterford but on returning to Carrick On Suir that evening a row broke out when he accused her of being involved with another man.
John Collinson told the court he "snapped" when his wife said "he'll f***ing kill you". He began beating her and putting his hands around her throat and squeezing them. He left her body in the hotel bedroom, went to the gardai and told he had just killed his wife.