A Barefield man challenging his conviction for killing a 14 year old schoolboy will find out today if his appeal’s been successful.
John McGovern of Ballyduff was jailed for six years for the death of Michael Doherty who died after being stabbed during a fight outside Supermacs in Ennis in June 2007.
He also received a three year concurrent sentence for producing a knife on the night in question.
At the Court of Criminal Appeal last month lawyers for 20 year old McGovern outlined their challenge to his manslaughter conviction .
The three judge court heard that McGovern – who was 17 at the time of the fatal altercation, had faced a somewhat confusing trial with conflicting evidence.
Among the grounds put forward was that the judge failed to explain or expand on the defence of "self defence" regarding the knife charge. McGovern’s legal team also argued that the trial judge’s recap of the evidence was unsatifactory..
However, the director of Public Prosecutions opposed the appeal stating that clear explanations and directions had been given to the jury.
Judgement in the case was reserved and today the three judge court of Criminal Appeal will deliver their decision.
