A Mayo man has been found guilty of the murder of his baby son almost five years ago.
40-year-old John Tighe of Lavallyroe in Ballyhaunis has been sentenced to life in prison for killing six-month-old Joshua by placing a wad of tissue in his mouth.
The baby’s mother said John Tighe took her flesh and blood away from her and she’ll probably never get over it.
Joshua Sussbier Tighe choked on a wad of tissue at his father’s home on the 1st of June 2013.
It was the prosecution’s case that his dad John Tighe had murdered him by placing two tissues in his mouth.
The court heard the baby’s mother had announced she was in a new relationship on Facebook the day before.
John Tighe maintained what happened was an accident and his baby must have placed the tissues in his mouth himself while he left him unattended for a few minutes to go to the bathroom.
But the prosecution had argued a baby of that age couldn’t form, chew or swallow a wad of tissue of that size.
After more than seven hours of deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict.
John Tighe showed little emotion and stared straight ahead when the decision was announced.
