A 37-year-old Kilkenny man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the manslaughter of his wife two years ago. The court heard that Patrick Hennessy of Callan, County Kilkenny, had beaten his wife, Marie, to death with a car jack on 10 May 1999. She died two days later from her injuries. Afterwards the victim's family said that justice had not been done.
Patrick and Marie Henessy's two youngest children were in the back seat of the car when she was beaten in an attack which inflicted what were described in court today as "horrific" injuries. Patrick Hennessy had just told her that he had been suspended from his job in Callan's Social Welfare office. He had been caught embezzling money. When Marie became upset he beat her severely with a car jack.
Sentencing today, the judge said that Patrick Hennessy had completely lost control. Judge Finnegan said that he took into account that He was under severe stress and pressure, even though he was the author of it. Afterwards Marie Henessy's family said that they upset at the length of the eight-year sentence.
