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Man Acquitted Of Murdering His Long-Time Partner In Dublin

A jury has cleared a 70-year-old man of murdering his partner at their home at Somerville Park in Ra...
TodayFM
TodayFM

4:51 PM - 20 Nov 2018



Man Acquitted Of Murdering His...

News

Man Acquitted Of Murdering His Long-Time Partner In Dublin

TodayFM
TodayFM

4:51 PM - 20 Nov 2018



A jury has cleared a 70-year-old man of murdering his partner at their home at Somerville Park in Rathmines in Dublin in May 2016.

Desmond Duffy admitting causing the death of Desmond Sullivan, but told the jurors he was simply defending himself and didn't mean to kill him.

Mr Duffy didn’t want to speak to the media as he left court a free man this evening, but it was hard to hide his emotions when the verdict came in.

He wept in the dock and removed his glasses to wipe away tears before giving the jurors a thumbs-up and thanking them for acquitting him.

Mr Duffy decided to take the stand last week in his own defence.

He told the jurors he loved Desmond Sullivan - a man he'd been with for over 30 years - but he gave gruelling details of the physical and emotional abuse he suffered at his hands.

His partner would put him down and degrade him in public and he was often assaulted during their time together, but despite all that he said he still loved him and was devastated by what happened on the night in question.

The court heard Mr. Sullivan verbally abused and beat him across the head following a day's drinking and that Mr Duffy then fought back and pushed him up against a wall with his hand around his neck - a move that proved fatal.

The jurors deliberated for just over seven hours before they returned with their verdict of not guilty just before 5.00pm this evening.



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