A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering two men and intentionally causing harm to another in Sligo last year.
Yousef Palani, with an address at Markievicz Heights in Sligo, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Aidan Moffitt at Cartron Heights in Sligo on 10 April last year.
He also pleaded guilty to murdering Michael Snee at City View, Connaughton Road in Sligo, two days later on 12 April.
He further pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious harm to Anthony Burke on 9 April.
Palani was due to go on trial on 13 November, but will now be sentenced on 23 October when victim impact evidence will also be heard.
Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring extended her sympathy to the families of the deceased and in directing that victim impact statements be prepared, said it was important that they be heard.
The case had been before the Central Criminal Court on several previous occasions, including earlier this month when Mr Justice Paul McDermott was told Palani had changed his senior counsel ahead of his trial.
In what was a brief hearing, defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC told Mr Justice McDermott that Palani had "a preference for a different senior counsel" and in those circumstances, he asked the court's leave for Michael Bowman SC to represent the defendant instead.
The firm of solicitors representing Palani were to remain in place.
Mr Grehan also told the judge that various records had been sought for Palani from the Central Mental Hospital and from Castlerea Prison in Roscommon but the defence team was still awaiting those.
Mr Justice McDermott asked Mr Grehan as to whether reports had been sought from experts. The lawyer said he had informed the court on 26 April that the defence had procured their own psychiatric assessment and that it was not their intention to share that with the prosecution.
At the 26 April hearing, Mr Grehan informed Mr Justice McDermott that the defence had received a psychiatric assessment for their client only that week.
Mr Grehan said the next step would have to be discussed with the accused, who was on remand in Castlerea Prison, and that "two due diligence matters will have to be dealt with". These were concerned with exhibits in the case and records from the Central Mental Hospital, he added.
