A charge of murder against a 47-year-old man accused of killing Kilbeggan pensioner Christy Hanley has been reduced to manslaughter.
At the outset of the trial, Noel Cawley, of no fixed abode with a previous address at Castleblaney Co Monaghan, had denied the charge of murdering 83-year-old Mr Hanley in Westmeath last year.
The jury has now been instructed to consider a charge of manslaughter against Mr Cawley.
It is the prosecution's case that Christy Hanley died from a beating he received during a robbery at his home at Bridge Street in Kilbeggan on 21 May last year.
His body was found in a room at his home and his hands and feet had been tied.
A post mortem revealed that he had been badly beaten and choked on his own blood.
Mr Cawley denies killing the pensioner and stealing money from him.
The jury is now hearing closing arguments from the prosecution and is expected to begin considering its verdict later today.
