Galway Bay fm newsroom -A Limerick man who successfully appealed against his conviction for the murder of his partner in Craughwell in July 2005 has been released from prison.
49 year old Kieran Lynch of Askeaton pleaded guilty to manslaughter during an appeal against his murder conviction.
In March 2007, Kieran Lynch was sentenced to life in prison by Mr Justice Paul Carney having been found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of the murder of his partner Catherine McEnery.
At a Galway sitting of the Central Criminal Court, Lynch pleaded not guilty to the murder
Kieran Lynch and Catherine McEnery had been living together for ten years and moved into a traditional cottage known as ‘Rose Cottage’ in Craughwell in June 2005.
On July 17th Ms McEnery was found dead in a bedroom in the cottage.
Lynch brought an appeal against his conviction in December 2013 and it was quashed in July 2015
The appeal focused on the issue of the trial judge’s charge to the jury on provocation while the other was a motion to introduce fresh evidence in to the case.
A retrial was ordered Lynch was arraigned – he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Ms McEnery.
The plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and Lynch was remanded in custody on the same conditions.
This week, Kieran Lynch was given a reduced sentence of 12 years – with the final four years suspended.
He has already served 10 years, so has been released from prison, and will remain on probation for 2 years.