A TEENAGER has been found guilty of the manslaughter of his stepfather by a jury at the Central Criminal Court. He was found not guilty of murder.
Andre Bastos was 17 when he stabbed Claudio Fernandes (33) with a boning knife on the main street in Duleek, Co Meath, on July 29th last year.
At the time he stabbed him he told gardaí he was thinking about how Claudio used to beat his mother Maura and him.
Mr Fernandes never regained consciousness and died 11 days later. When gardaí arrived only the blue handle of the knife could be seen; the six-inch blade was embedded in his skull.
The three, from Brazil, lived in Bellewstown, Co Meath, and worked in a local meat factory.
On the night of the killing Baston and Mr Fernandes were in a pub in Duleek where Bastos was verbally abused by the his stepfather. Bastos left the pub and went to a nearby house where other Brazilians were living.
He had disconnected a lead to the battery of his stepfather’s car so he would not drive home without him.
Mr Fernandes arrived at the house and a row began with Bastos over the car not starting.
Bastos returned to the house and in less than a minute had got the knife from the kitchen, put it in his pocket and returned outside.
He told gardaí his stepfather started chasing him again, was calling him names and then approached him and stood close to him.
For a couple of minutes the two were approximately two feet apart. Then he said Mr Fernandes went to punch him, he was scared and he stabbed him.
He told gardaí he did not know where he had stabbed him and did not want to kill him.
He regretted what he did. When gardaí said he had been reckless as to whether he killed him he replied: “Because at that time I was very scared.”
At the time of the stabbing he was thinking about how the dead man would beat his mother, he said.
A history of domestic violence by Mr Fernandes against Bastos and particularly the accused’s mother was outlined to the jury during the five-day trial.
After three hours’ and 18 minutes’ deliberation the jury returned unanimous verdicts.
Mr Justice Paul Carney will pass sentence next Monday.