A man who was originally charged with the murder of a "kind and good natured" pensioner has pleaded guilty to his manslaughter.
Aaron Wolfe, aged 31 of Glentrasna Court, The Glen, Co Cork, appeared before a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in the city today, where he pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of Florence 'Florrie' O'Sullivan on 11 March, 2023.
Sgt Caitriona Molloy gave an outline of the background in the case. She said that Wolfe was drinking pints of lager on his own in the Linen Weaver pub in Paul Street in Cork city centre from about 3pm on 11 March, 2023.
Mr O’Sullivan, 68, went in to have a coffee in the same bar at about 4pm that day, and the two men struck up a conversation.
At about 5pm, they decided to leave together to get a taxi to The Glen, where Wolfe was residing with his grandmother, Eileen Karluk.
They subsequently got another taxi to Mahon in Cork city, where Wolfe called to a relative.
Shortly after 7pm, Mr O’Sullivan realised he had left a bag at the property in The Glen. The two men got a taxi back to the northside of the city, arriving in Glentrasna Court shortly before 7.40pm.
The taxi driver who drove the men to the house told gardaí that there was no sign of ill feeling between them. Wolfe had been drinking Jägermeister during his taxi journeys, and he had about six pints of lager in the pub.
Sgt Molloy told Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford that at about 8.15pm, gardaí received calls from the public that a "violent assault" was taking place outside the property at Glentrasna Court.
One member of the public told gardaí that a man was "on the ground covered in blood. There is fella still kicking him on the ground. His name is Aaron".
Mr O’Sullivan, who was originally from Adrigole in west Cork, was transferred to Cork University Hospital that night. He died of his injuries on site on 6 April, 2023.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem examination on the deceased.
She concluded that Mr O’Sullivan died from a traumatic brain injury due to blunt force trauma.
When Wolfe was questioned by gardaí his only explanation for his actions was that the pensioner was not fast enough leaving the house when he asked him to go.
Wolfe indicated that there was an altercation in the house. He told gardaí that he had a blackout and could not remember what happened outside the house.
In a victim impact statement, Paddy O’Sullivan, a brother to the late Mr O’Sullivan, said that he received a phone call that nobody should ever get about a much loved relative.
He told Ms Justice Lankford that the time between the attack and the death of his brother in hospital, over three weeks later was one of the hardest periods of his life.
Paddy O’Sullivan said that Mr O’Sullivan was a generous and caring man.
"He was a kind and good-natured person, never failing to help people in trouble. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Florrie.
"I (once) crashed my car, and I could not afford to replace it. Florrie said, come up to the city and I’ll give you one.
"Not alone does this (death) affect families but it affects the whole community. I am here to get justice for my brother Florrie, I want closure. We are three years waiting for it. It is a one-sided story - my brother is not here to defend himself. I swore on his soul (at his grave) that I would get justice for him."
The court heard that the progression of the case was hampered by delays in obtaining a psychiatric report on Wolfe.
Defence senior counsel Brendan Grehan said that his client had expressed remorse for his actions. Wolfe asked his barrister to apologise to the family of the deceased. Mr Grehan described Mr O’Sullivan as harmless and inoffensive. He added that Wolfe said that he did not mean to kill Mr O’Sullivan.
He indicated that his client had almost doubled in weight since he entered prison three years ago and now weighs 25 stone.
Wolfe has 78 previous convictions. This includes a conviction for engaging in a violent disorder six years ago and an assault causing harm conviction dating back to 2016.
Ms Justice Lankford adjourned the case for sentencing on 27 February next. She directed that reports be prepared by the probation service and the prison governor in the interim.
