A man has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of a man, who a court heard, died after suffering a beating during an all-day drinking session, at a house in Co Kerry, five years ago.
The victim, 7ft 5in Dmitry Hrynkevich, died two days after being found unconscious and seriously injured at sheltered housing, at Killeen Woods, Tralee.
He had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, along with multiple injuries to his face and neck.
33-year-old Arnoldas Ivanauskas, a Lithuanian native with an address at 111 Parklands, Tralee, had denied Mr Hrynkevich’s murder.
The accused said that, during an all day drinking session, the victim assaulted him, and, that a third man - who was not before the court - attacked the victim, and that he joined in.
Mr Hrynkevich was born with a life threatening genetic condition, it was heard, which left him very tall, with elongated limbs, and having a serious cardiac condition.
An autopsy found death was due to loss of oxygen to the brain, due to a heart attack linked to his condition, and that blunt force trauma to his head was a contributory factor.
The accused was remanded in continuing custody to Cork Prison for sentencing on October 8.
Mr Ivanauskas was represented by Eimear Griffin of Padraig O’Connell Solicitors in Killarney, barrister Katie O’Connell and senior counsel Mark Nicholas.
