Life term after 'decent man' stabbed to death in Tralee

A 52-year-old man who stabbed a man to death in a "drunken rage", in what a judge described as a "cowardly" and "defenceless" attack, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Patrick Murphy, of no fixed abode, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Joseph Brosnan, 53, at Abbey Court, Tralee, Co Kerry on 22 May 2022.

A jury unanimously convicted him of murder last month after rejecting the defence case that he was provoked.

Passing the mandatory term of life imprisonment, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the deceased was a "decent man" who had been "viciously" stabbed by Murphy.

Mr Brosnan’s family delivered emotional victim impact statements in which they described him as a much-loved son, father and grandad.

Shaun Brosnan described his son’s killer as a "coward", and said he wished Murphy would spend "every second of his life in jail" adding: "I hope to God he will rot in hell".

Mr Brosnan’s daughter, Rachel Dunne, said that her son "had a special bond like no other" with his grandfather but is "still so traumatised from this tragedy" that he cannot bring himself to say the word "grandad".

The jury, at the Central Criminal Court, heard that Mr Brosnan had previously worked at a direct provision centre where he met and befriended a Polish man named Kamil Lisowski.

On 22 May 2022, Mr Lisowski finished work at around 7.45am and called to Mr Brosnan’s home at Abbey Court.

The pair shared a few drinks and watched television before Murphy, who had been visiting his daughter’s apartment across from Mr Brosnan’s, joined them at around 3pm.

Further drinking took place in the house which resulted in an insult passing between Mr Lisowski and Murphy.

Mr Lisowski slapped Murphy in the face but things calmed down and people shook hands.

However, the matter resurfaced and Murphy was asked to leave.

He came back at around 6.45pm and apologised but was subsequently "pushed out vigorously" from the apartment and fell to the ground outside.

Murphy returned a short time later armed with a large kitchen knife, which he used to stab Mr Brosnan three times after he had opened the door and again told him to go.

In evidence, Mr Lisowski said that Murphy had come to the door to take "revenge".

When he was arrested and interviewed, Murphy suggested that the victim had possibly suffered a seizure before eventually admitting that he had brought a knife to the scene and that he had stabbed Mr Brosnan.

He told gardaí that he started drinking and taking tablets before numerous scuffles broke out on the day.

Defence counsel Brendan Grehan argued that Murphy had "acted in boiling blood, in a rage or out of control" after he "had the living daylights kicked out of him on the ground".

Mr Grehan suggested that it was Mr Lisowski and possibly Mr Brosnan who hit the defendant on the ground, driving him into a rage, despite denials of this by Mr Lisowski.

Counsel argued that the alleged beating was "an act of provocation".

The prosecution case was that there was no reason for Murphy to bring a knife to the apartment and that he had "a clear intention to kill or cause serious injury".

"Mr Brosnan was entitled to refuse entry and if that involved pushing him [Murphy] out so be it," Senior Counsel Patrick Gageby said.

The jury deliberated for just over two hours before returning its unanimous verdict.

Barrister Elizabeth Murphy, representing Murphy, said her client wished to sincerely express his remorse to Mr Brosnan’s family.

He had taken another man’s life and "understands the ramifications of that," she said.

Imposing the mandatory term of life in prison, Mr Justice Burns said Murphy had "acted in a drunken rage and carried out a vicious and cowardly knife attack on a defenceless and unarmed Mr Brosnan".

He said that, after he was arrested, the defendant had "concocted a story" before admitting he was responsible.

The judge thanked Mr Brosnan’s family for their eloquent victim impact statements which, he said, made clear "the great sense of loss" they have experienced and the "profound impact" his loss has had upon them.