Man jailed for life after murdering best friend
A father-of-four has been jailed for life today for the shooting dead of his best friend in his North Dublin apartment.
Peter Donnelly (aged 52) of The Green, Larch Hill Apartments, Santry, has been found guilty of the murder of Edward Flanagan on June 16, 2011.
His lawyers said that he is genuinely remorseful.
Donnelly said that he cannot recollect or explain why he shot his friend in the back of the neck after a day of drinking.
When the jury returned an 11-1 guilty verdict on the murder charge, Mr Justice Paul Carney asked a detective on the case if he could advance the mystery of what it was all about.
Garda Shay Woods said the only reason he could think of was that there was noise and people dancing around Peter Donnelly's apartment and he wanted them out.
He said Eddie Flanagan was sitting back enjoying a can of beer and was not getting off his chair.
The victim's sister Marie Flanagan spoke after the verdict:
"Eddie sat there with a grin on his face," she said. "And that got on Peter Donnelly's nerves. And that's what made him do what he done."
Donnelly's lawyers say that he has been a model prisoner on remand and is an artist of outstanding talent.
He has been given the mandatory life sentence for murder.
