By Olivia Kelleher
A MAN has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the partner of his mother who died of blunt force trauma and was found with a sofa covering his body from the waist down.
Andrew Nash, of Parnell Street in Thurles, Co Tipperary had gone on trial in Cork on Monday charged with the murder of British national, Jonathan (John) Ustic, on a date unknown between September 24 and 25th, 2017 at High Street in Skibbereen.
The Central Criminal Court sitting had heard that Mr Nash (43) allegedly attacked Mr Ustic (51) raining blows down on him, slicing him in the ear with a broken bottle, and then bringing a sofa repeatedly down on top of him as he lay defenceless on the floor.
The jury of seven men and five women heard two days of evidence in the case. When the case resumed today, Mr Nash was re arraigned in the presence of the jury. He denied murdering Mr Ustic. However, he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Ustic who had been in a relationship with his mother Suzanne Fenton. Ms Fenton passed away last year.
Prosecuting counsel, Sean Gillane, SC, said that the entering of a plea of guilty to manslaughter was acceptable to the State. Mr Nash was remanded in custody for sentencing tomorrow (Friday) in Cork.
