Ireland Case No. 6581Murder · Co. Dublin · 25 Jul 2020
Jury deliberating in trial of Patrick McDonagh over Clonsilla machete killing
Patrick McDonagh (52) is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for murdering his next-door neighbour Peter McDonald (73), an incident alleged to have happened on Whitechapel Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, on 25 July 2020. The prosecution says a machete and knife were used in a sustained attack and that the accused intended to kill or cause serious injury, while the defence argues that a mental disorder substantially reduced his responsibility. McDonagh has pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter, a plea the State has not accepted. The closing speeches were given on 6 February 2024 and the judge charged the jury on 7 February, and as of 8 February the jury had begun deliberating and was due to resume on Monday with no verdict reported.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court6 Feb
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Patrick McDonagh (52) is charged with murdering his next-door neighbour Peter McDonald (73).
- Where
- The killing is alleged to have happened on Whitechapel Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, where the accused lives.
- When
- The killing is alleged to have happened on 25 July 2020.
- Cause
- The state pathologist said Peter McDonald died following a sustained and violent attack, with the most serious injuries to the neck.
- Weapon
- The state pathologist said the slash, chop and stab wounds were most likely from a machete, and the prosecution says a machete and knife were used.
- Charges
- McDonagh has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the State has not accepted that plea.
- The jury can return a verdict of murder, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and the verdict must be unanimous.
- In court
- The trial is before Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of nine men and three women.
- Prosecution counsel Philipp Rahn SC gave his closing speech on 6 February 2024, and defence counsel John Fitzgerald SC argued for manslaughter.
- On 7 February 2024 the judge told the jury that if murder is proved they must consider the defence of diminished responsibility due to a mental disorder.
- The jury spent about three hours deliberating on 8 February and will resume on Monday, as the court does not sit on Friday.
- Other details
- A defence psychiatrist said McDonagh was suffering acute symptoms of schizophrenia at the time, while a prosecution psychiatrist said any abnormality would most likely be accounted for by cannabis use.
- A neighbour heard McDonagh threaten McDonald two hours before the fatal attack.
33 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA jury will be asked to decide whether the accused committed murder or manslaughter in a machete attack on his neighbour. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe accused lives at Whitechapel Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe attack happened on Whitechapel Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe killing is alleged to have happened on Whitechapel Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe killing is alleged to have happened on July 25th, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe killing took place on July 25, 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe alleged killing took place on July 25th, 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe state pathologist said Peter McDonald died following a sustained and violent attack. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe pathologist said the slash, chop and stab wounds were most likely from a machete. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponThe prosecution says the injuries were inflicted with a machete and a knife. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponThe attack involved a machete. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponThe killing is described as a machete murder. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationMcDonald called gardaí following an earlier encounter with McDonagh on the night of the attack. (irishtimes.com)
- chargePatrick McDonagh is charged with murdering his next-door neighbour Peter McDonald. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMcDonagh has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter; the State has not accepted that plea. (irishtimes.com)
- chargePatrick McDonagh has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is taking place at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- courtProsecution counsel Philipp Rahn SC gave his closing speech on Tuesday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge will deliver his charge to the jury on Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury has nine men and three women. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge will finish his charge to the jury on Thursday morning. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury can return a verdict of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury has spent about three hours deliberating and will return on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr McDonagh has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, and the State has not accepted that plea. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA defence psychiatrist said Mr McDonagh was suffering acute symptoms of schizophrenia at the time, so his responsibility was substantially diminished. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA prosecution psychiatrist said any abnormality in Mr McDonagh's mental state would most likely be accounted for by cannabis use. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe prosecution said the evidence showed a violent, sustained and merciless attack that left the victim no chance. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe most serious injuries were to the neck, including a stab wound within a slash wound. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA neighbour heard McDonagh threaten McDonald two hours before the fatal attack. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defence argues McDonagh was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killing. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe defence says the accused had a mental disorder that substantially reduced his responsibility. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe prosecution says the evidence points to murder rather than manslaughter. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 8 Feb2024Only two verdicts available in trial of man accused of ‘brutal’ machete murder, jury told
Reports the Central Criminal Court trial: the judge's charge to the jury, the closing speeches, the conflicting psychiatric evidence on diminished responsibility, and that the jury has begun deliberating and will resume on Monday.
victim, Peter McDonald, 73, male, irish (judged from name)Peter McDonaldaccused, Patrick McDonagh, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McDonagh - 7 Feb2024Machete attack killing jury to decide between murder or manslaughter
Report on the trial at the Central Criminal Court as the judge charged the jury and counsel gave closing speeches. Covers the defence of diminished responsibility, the psychiatric evidence and the manslaughter plea.
accused, Patrick McDonagh, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McDonaghvictim, Peter McDonald, 73, male, irish (judged from name)Peter McDonald - 6 Feb2024‘Brutal’ machete attack on elderly man carried out with ‘lethal intention’, jury told
Reports the closing speeches in the trial. The prosecution argues for murder and the defence argues for manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. The judge's charge to the jury is due Wednesday, and no verdict is reported.
accused, Patrick McDonagh, 52, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McDonaghvictim, Peter McDonald, 73, male, irish (judged from name)Peter McDonald