Paul Wells Senior has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering his friend in January 2016.
Mr. Wells of Barnamore Park in Finglas dismembered Kenneth O’Brien’s body afterwards before dumping him in the Grand Canal.
Following his arrest in Feb 2016, Paul Wells told Gardaí he was acting in self-defence when he shot Kenneth O’Brien in the head from point-blank range.
Through what the prosecuting barrister described as “crocodile tears”, he said he then went into survival mode and used a chainsaw to dismember him.
Sean Gillane told the jurors what they saw in those interviews wasn't the product of sorrow, but rather the “crushing weight of evidence”.
The jury found him guilty after five hours of deliberations.
Mr. O’Brien’s father Gerry described the putting of his son’s torso in a suitcase afterwards as “barbaric” and he said he couldn’t function until the rest of his body parts were found.
His partner Eimear Dunne said her life has now become a living nightmare.
Through his barrister, Paul Wells described today’s verdict as an “error” and indicated his intention to appeal it.
He could be heard saying “I’m very sorry” to Mr. O’Brien’s family as he was then led away to begin his life sentence.
