Man sentenced after fatal assault arising from land dispute
The 'ring-leader' of an incident when two elderly brothers were assaulted by three men, one fatally so, arising from a boundary dispute, was today sentenced to three years in prison with half of it suspended.
Judge Patrick J. Moran imposed a three-year jail sentence to commence on December 1 with the last 18 months suspended on Connie O’Sullivan whom he described as the ring leader.
His son and nephew were given two-year sentences, suspended entirely.
The three men were initially accused of the manslaughter of a 65-year-old farmer, but they had this unlawful killing charge against them dropped by the State and they pleaded guilty to assault instead.
Connie O’Sullivan (aged 57) of Annagannighy, Rylane, his son Finbarr O’Sullivan (aged 25) of Millview Terrace, Model Village, Dripsey, and his nephew, Thomas Byrne (aged 25) of Rylane East, had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of John Twomey on August 19, 2008.
They were later re-arraigned on an alternative charge of assault causing harm to the late Mr Twomey and a second charge of assault causing harm to his brother, Patrick Twomey, who is now 70.
Judge Moran said land disputes had happened in Ireland for as long as one could remember but that they were usually resolved on legal advice and not dealt with by brute force as happened here.
Mr Twomey died in the ambulance on his way to hospital.
