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Charge in balcony death case reduced

Dermot McArdle - Denies pushing his wife from balcony
Dermot McArdle - Denies pushing his wife from balcony

In Spain a murder charge against Irishman Dermot McArdle accused off pushing his wife to her death from a hotel balcony in Marbella has been reduced to manslaughter.

Mr McArdle has denied deliberately pushing or throwing his 28-year-old wife Kelly-Anne Corcoran from the fourth-floor balcony of their Hotel in Marbella in February 2000.

He says his wife had tripped and she fell to her death after she ran to their then three-year-old son who was leaning over the railing.

Kelly-Anne's family have attended the trial throughout and today the court was shown video reconstructions of the night she fell to her death.

The court also heard evidence that Kelly-Anne's injuries were consistent with a feet first fall from the balcony.

The pathologist told the court there were no marks or bruises, which had been caused before the fall.

When final speeches were made, the prosecutor dropped the murder allegation and reduced his demand to four years for manslaughter through grave carelessness.

The nine-member jury is expected to be sent out on Monday and a verdict is expected within 24 hours.