Hanley jury sent home for night
A jury at the trial of a man accused of murdering 83-year-old Christy Hanley in Westmeath last year has been sent home for the night.
Yesterday, a charge of murder against Noel Cawley (aged 47), of no fixed abode, but with a previous address at Castleblaney, Co Monaghan was reduced to manslaughter, after Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said he took the view that there is "a reasonable possibility that he [the accused] did not intend to cause serious harm."
At the outset of the trial, Mr Cawley pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Hanley at his home on Bridge St, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, on May 21 last year.
He has also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Hanley of an unknown sum of money at the same address on the same date.
It is the prosecution's case that Mr Cawley tied Mr Hanley up, robbed him and beat him to death.
The jury has so far been deliberating for just over two and a half hours. It will resume its deliberations tomorrow morning.
