A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cork postman Barry Daly, in what was described by the judge as a “brutal action”.
Alex Deady of Glen View, Convent Road in Doneraile, was last month convicted of murdering Mr Daly, a father-of-five, in the early hours of Sunday 12 October last year, outside his home at Rockview Terrace in Doneraile.
Mr Daly, who was 44, died of catastrophic head and facial injuries that were inflicted with a golf club.
Deady and two teenage boys, who cannot be named because of their age, went on trial in June charged with the murder.
Deady and the older teenager, who is 17, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Daly but not guilty to his murder.
During the trial the other teenager, who is 16, entered a plea of not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. This plea was subsequently accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford today described the circumstances of Mr Daly’s death as brutal, adding that while the action that took his life was not prolonged, it was a “brutal action”.
Ms Justice Lankford acknowledged that Deady does not accept the verdict of murder, but accepts he caused the death of Mr Daly, and faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Ms Justice Lankford imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder, backdated to 3 July, adding that she would direct credit for any time he had previously spent in custody in relation to this matter.
Ms Justice Lankford added that the case of Mr Daly’s death is one that has affected his local community and changed Doneraile forever.
She also said that it was clear from victim impact statements that Mr Daly, who worked as a postman, cared for the community and was an exceptional person who cared to older people while working, noting many examples of his kindness “over his short life”.
The court heard today that the two juveniles convicted in connection with Mr Daly’s death will be sentenced on 11 September.