Limerick man pleads guilty to manslaughter
The Central Criminal Court trial of a Limerick man charged with murdering another Limerick man has ended early after the accused pleaded guilty to his victim's manslaughter.
Stephen O’Sullivan (aged 20), of Galtee View, O’Malley Park, Southill had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mark Moloney (aged 40) at South Claughan Road, Garryowen, Limerick on April 5, 2008.
Mr Moloney was fatally shot in his back as he chatted on the street that Saturday afternoon. The trial heard that the drive-by shooting happened minutes after he left his partner to visit his mother.
The trial, which began three weeks ago before Mr Justice Barry White, was mostly conducted in the absence of the jury as a legal issue arose early in the case.
O'Sullivan was then rearraigned today. He pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to Mr Moloney's manslaughter and this was accepted by the state, which officially entered a nolle prosequi on the murder charge.
O'Sullivan also pleaded guilty to possession of a Glock 9mm handgun in the early hours of that day at O'Malley Park, Southill in Limerick.
Mr Justice White then explained to the jury that two separate shootings had occured that day, the first in O'Malley Park, and that it was on suspicion of this that the accused was arrested that evening.
Gardaí interviewed him 14 times over the following three days.
The judge viewed the 14 tapes in the jury's absence to determine admissability and ruled on the issue last week.
"I ruled certain interviews out and in and counsel wanted to consider the matter," he said. In the meantime, he continued, the manslaughter plea had been offered and accepted.
O'Sullivan was remanded in custody for sentencing on November 29.
