A 24-year-old man has been convicted of the murder of another man in Delgany, Co Wicklow, last year.
Thomas O’Connor of Burnbury Court, Greystones, admitted killing John O’Brien after he hit him a number of times on the head with a rock at Farrankelly Road on 4 June.
He admitted attacking his 22-year-old friend but told gardaí twice in interviews he did not mean to kill him.
However, a number of eyewitnesses told the court they saw one man standing over another man that night and hitting him on the head.
One woman, Ashley Carroll who stopped at the scene at around 11.45pm told the court she was shocked by how calm O’Connor was when he referred to the person lying on the ground saying: that’s John down there.
She knew the two men were good friends.
After deliberating for three hours and 48 minutes, the jury of six men and six women found O’Connor guilty of murder by a unanimous decision.
Mr Justice Barry White said he would hear victim impact statements in two weeks time and they may be of assistance in time to the Parole Board.
