CAROLINE BRENNAN, charged with murdering her brother at a party in December 2008, was last night found not guilty of murder but guilty of his manslaughter by a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
Michael Brennan (22) died at the party in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, after his sister stabbed him in the heart and liver when a dispute erupted at the home of their uncle, Ollie Nolan.
Brennan (19), Love Lane, Castlecomer, denied murdering her brother at Barrack Street in the town shortly after 3am on December 30th, 2008.
Brennan had told investigating gardaí she had “put the knife in” her brother, and that he was always “at” her when they were growing up, her trial heard.
A jury of nine women and three men deliberated for one hour and 11 minutes before finding her guilty of killing her brother.
As the verdict was read out last night, Brennan – ashen-faced and tearful – grasped her mother Eileen’s hand.
In evidence yesterday, Brennan, the only defence witness, said: “He just kept getting worse and worse; he was bullying me. Michael was just very, very violent . . . they put him into rehab twice; he didn’t want to be there. He was kicked out of the house because he was very violent towards me and the younger ones.”
Yesterday, Paddy McCarthy, defending, said that after Brennan’s father had thrown Michael out of the family home, he went to live with his uncle, Ollie Nolan, at his house on Barrack Street.
Brennan yesterday explained how she agreed to go out with her friend Melissa Fox on December 29th, 2008. She said they went to the Coalmine Inn pub in Castlecomer and were drinking with her boyfriend, Keith Byrne.
Brennan told her boyfriend she took the knife from her apartment because she needed it “for protection”.
She said her brother had been rowing with Keith, telling him that he was “following me around”.
When Brennan and Mr Byrne went back to the party at the house after closing time in the early hours of December 30th, Mr Brennan had become “violent” and “crazy”.
A Dublin man who was at the party had put cocaine on a coin, while Mr Brennan had “sniffed it off the coin”. She said yesterday: “They were all bonkers – I had to get out – we were all being threatened [by Michael Brennan].”
Brennan challenged her brother regarding heroin he had taken with another man, Ger O’Dowd, and he became furious with her, detaining her in the bathroom at Barrack Street and demanding an apology for his friend after she asked him whether he gave her brother heroin.
Brennan apologised and they all left the bathroom. She said that she was later sitting in the car with Mr Byrne to leave the party when she “heard Lisa scream”. Mr Brennan had punched his girlfriend, “grabbed her by the throat” and threatened to kill her, the court heard.
“I told her it’s not safe; to come stay with me and Keith,” said Brennan yesterday. We were just about to leave when I went back in to get Lisa’s bag. I was trying to get out of the house straight away but he wouldn’t let me.”
Brennan said that her brother was blocking her with his arm and his shoulder. “I tried to get out the door. I just felt so scared.”
She said she made a “dive” for the door, and agreed with Mr McCarthy that she took out the knife at this stage.
Brennan was granted continuing bail and will be sentenced by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the court this morning.
