The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a teenager on Arranmore Island has been asked to decide whether he had diminished responsibility.
Stephen Boyle (41) has admitted killing, but denies murdering, Paul Boyle (19) at Early’s Bar, Leabgarrow, Arranmore on October 3rd, 2009.
The jury of six women and six men starts deliberations today.
Mr Boyle of Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park in London has pleaded not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said one issue the jury had to decide on was whether the accused is guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, rather than murder.
He told them they also had to consider the issue of self-defence – whether the accused used a reasonable amount of force – and said there was “a grey area there for juries”.