A Spanish jury has found Dundalk man Michael 'Dermot' McArdle guilty of the manslaughter of his wife.
Kelly-Anne Corcoran died after plunging from the balcony of the couple's hotel while on holiday in Marbella eight years ago.
The jury of five women and four men, which deliberated for six hours yesterday afternoon at a provincial court in Malaga, retired to a hotel last night.
The court convened this afternoon to hear the jury deliver its verdict.
In the course of answering a lengthy list of questions posed by the judge, the jury foreman declared that the jurors had found the accused guilty of the manslaughter of his wife by negligence.
However the jury also acknowledged that he had tried to save her.
McArdle was found not guilty on the charge of murdering his wife, as sought by the private prosecutor acting on behalf of Ms Corcoran's family.
The state prosecutor is seeking a three-year prison sentence, while the private prosecutor has asked for four years. McArdle's defence requested a minimum sentence of one year.
When the judge reiterated that the sentence would be between one and four years, Ms Corcoran's father held out four fingers to his wife.
The prosecution made a strong case for McArdle to be remanded in custody, but the judge said he would not make that decision until the sentencing, leaving McArdle free to leave the court.
Sentencing is expected within two weeks.
