Man gets 9 years for manslaughter

A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of his friend in Co Meath in 2005.

A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of his friend in Co Meath in 2005.

Richard Mullen (19), from Claremont Estate in Navan, was 17 when he stabbed his friend Simon Sharkey (18) at a house party in Navan in the early hours of the morning of May 28th.

Mullen, who was on bail at the time of the incident, had pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter. Mr Sharkey died six days after the attack, just hours after being discharged from Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.

Passing sentence at Trim Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Michael O'Shea noted that Mullen's probation report said there was a "high risk" that he would re-offend.

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Judge O'Shea sentenced Mullen to nine years imprisonment to run from January of next year when Mullen is due to finish his current prison sentence.

The trial had earlier heard that the defendant had hit a girl at the party on the night in question and that a row between himself and Mr Sharkey had ensued.

One witness said he saw Mullen go and get a knife from the kitchen and then stab the victim in the chest.

Mr Sharkey was rushed to Our Lady's Hospital in Navan and later transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

After being discharged on June 2nd, he returned to the Navan hospital complaining of pains. Despite medical advice to stay, he returned home and died two hours later of a heart attack, caused by the stabbing injury.