Ireland Case No. 21691Murder · Co. Mayo · 16 Nov 2020
man acquitted of murder in Swinford, Co Mayo
Matusz Batiuk, a 33-year-old man, stabbed 24-year-old Michael McDonagh in the stomach with a kitchen knife at his home in Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, Co Mayo, on 16 November 2020, claiming self-defence. McDonagh, a man from Knock, Co Mayo, died from the single stab wound which severed his iliac artery. Batiuk pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of self-defence at the Central Criminal Court, where the trial began in March 2023. A jury of nine men and three women returned a majority not-guilty verdict after nine hours and 54 minutes of deliberation over three days, and Justice Mary Ellen Ring excused the panel from service for ten years.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court20 Mar
2 reports - Acquitted31 Mar
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Batiuk admitted stabbing McDonagh in the stomach with a kitchen knife, saying he acted in self-defence.
- Where
- The stabbing took place at Batiuk's home in Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, Co Mayo.
- When
- The incident occurred on 16 November 2020, shortly before 11pm.
- Cause
- McDonagh died from a single stab wound to the stomach that severed the iliac artery and caused rapid fatal blood loss.
- Charges
- Batiuk pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of self-defence.
- In court
- The trial was heard at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Mary Ellen Ring, with Vincent Heneghen SC for the defence.
- A jury of nine men and three women returned a majority not-guilty verdict after nine hours and 54 minutes of deliberation over three days in March 2023.
- Sentence
- Justice Ring excused the jury from service for ten years.
- Other details
- Batiuk, a native of Poland, moved to Ireland with his mother and brother around 2006 or 2007 and lived in temporary accommodation provided by Mayo County Council.
- McDonagh, from Knock, Co Mayo, was the youngest of ten children, had been fostered by his uncle and wife, left school at 16, and was unemployed at the time of his death.
- Batiuk had a diagnosis of schizophrenia from 2008.
59 statements extracted from the articles
- whatBatiuk is 33 years old at the time of the trial (rte.ie)
- whatBatiuk admitted stabbing Michael McDonagh (rte.ie)
- whatAt the time of the incident Batiuk was 31 years old (rte.ie)
- whatMichael McDonagh was 24 and the youngest of ten children (rte.ie)
- whatThe two men called to a Chinese takeaway and went to Batiuk's house with alcohol (rte.ie)
- whatMcDonagh was intoxicated (rte.ie)
- whatIn the second call Batiuk said he had stabbed McDonagh in his house in his own defence and the knife was still in his hand (rte.ie)
- whatWhen gardaí arrived they found Batiuk standing behind a table (rte.ie)
- whatBatiuk picked up a large knife and was told to put it down (rte.ie)
- whatMcDonagh was lying on the floor of the kitchenette with a weak pulse and bleeding heavily (rte.ie)
- whatEfforts to resuscitate McDonagh failed (rte.ie)
- whatBatiuk told gardaí there had been an argument and McDonagh began walking towards him putting his fist in his hand in a threatening way (rte.ie)
- whatBatiuk said he retreated to the kitchen and grabbed a knife but McDonagh kept coming towards him (rte.ie)
- whatBatiuk pleaded not guilty to murdering Michael McDonagh on 16 November 2020 (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcDonagh travelled to meet his friend Paul Maughan on the day of the incident (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcDonagh was intoxicated when the three men sat in the sittingroom of Batiuk's one-bed bungalow (irishtimes.com)
- whatIn the first call Batiuk named Maughan as the man messing with him and trying to fight him (irishtimes.com)
- whatIn the second call Batiuk said he had stabbed a man in his house in his own defence and the knife was still in his hand (irishtimes.com)
- whatIn the second call Batiuk named McDonagh who was bleeding (irishtimes.com)
- whatGardaí arrived after 11pm and found Batiuk standing behind a table with a large knife (irishtimes.com)
- whatMaughan had blood coming from both his thumbs and was intoxicated and in a hysterical state (irishtimes.com)
- whatMcDonagh was lying on the floor of the kitchenette, unresponsive, with a weak pulse and bleeding heavily (irishtimes.com)
- whatAn ambulance arrived but McDonagh could not be resuscitated (irishtimes.com)
- whatBatiuk told gardaí that McDonagh had volunteered to hurt him if Maughan wanted him to (irishtimes.com)
- whatBatiuk said McDonagh began walking towards him putting his fist into his hand in a threatening way (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused is a 33-year-old man (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe victim was Michael McDonagh, aged 24 (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused maintained the self-defence position throughout his garda interviews (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused said he never intended to kill the victim (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe stabbing took place at a house in Carrabeg Estate, Swinford (rte.ie)
- whereBatiuk lived at Carrabeg Estate, Swinford, in temporary accommodation provided by Mayo County Council (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe stabbing took place in the accused's own home (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place at a housing estate in Swinford (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident occurred on 16 November 2020 (rte.ie)
- whenAround 10pm on 16 November 2020, McDonagh arrived in Swinford and met a friend (rte.ie)
- whenShortly before 11pm Batiuk made two calls to emergency services (rte.ie)
- whenMcDonagh and Maughan called into a Chinese takeaway at 10pm before walking to Carrabeg (irishtimes.com)
- whenBatiuk made a 112 call to ECAS at 10.51pm that was forwarded to gardaí (irishtimes.com)
- whenA second call was made by Batiuk at 10.57pm (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe stabbing occurred on 16 November 2020 (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe accused believed his life was in danger (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe victim died from a single stab wound to the stomach (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe stab wound severed the iliac artery (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe wound caused rapid fatal blood loss (irishtimes.com)
- chargeBatiuk pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of self-defence (rte.ie)
- courtThe accused was acquitted of murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury consisted of nine men and three women (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury returned a majority verdict (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury deliberated for nine hours and 54 minutes over three days (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused pleaded not guilty to murder (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe defence counsel was Vincent Heneghen SC (irishtimes.com)
- courtJustice Mary Ellen Ring presided over the trial (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge excused the jury from service for ten years (irishtimes.com)
- otherBatiuk came to Ireland from Poland with his mother and brother around 2006 or 2007 (rte.ie)
- otherMcDonagh had been living on and off with his foster parents, with his sister and with friends (rte.ie)
- otherBatiuk is a native of Poland (irishtimes.com)
- otherBatiuk moved to Ireland from Poland with his mother and brother in 2006 or 2007 and originally settled in Ballina (irishtimes.com)
- otherMichael McDonagh was the youngest of 10 children and was fostered by his uncle and his wife (irishtimes.com)
- otherMcDonagh left school at 16, was unemployed when he died, and was living on and off with his foster sister and friends (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 31 Mar2023Man who stabbed another in Mayo house acquitted of murder after self-defence plea
The jury of nine men and three women returned a majority not-guilty verdict after nine hours and 54 minutes of deliberation over three days, agreeing with the defence that Batiuk was entitled to self-defence. The victim died from a single stab wound to the stomach that severed the iliac artery. The judge excused the jury from service for ten years.
victim, Michael McDonagh, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Michael McDonaghaccused, Matusz Batiuk, 33, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matusz Batiuk - 20 Mar2023Murder accused told gardaí he stabbed man ‘in his own defence’, court hears
Prosecution opening at trial; details of the incident, the two 112 calls, the scene as found by gardaí, Batiuk's self-defence account, the post-mortem findings, and his 2008 schizophrenia diagnosis outlined to the jury.
victim, Michael McDonagh, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Michael McDonaghaccused, Matusz Batiuk, 33, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matusz Batiuk - 20 Mar202333-year-old man on trial for 2020 Mayo murder
Reports the start of the trial, providing the prosecution's account of the sequence of events, Batiuk's self-defence claim, his schizophrenia diagnosis, and the prosecution's argument that the stabbing was deliberate with intent to murder. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
victim, Michael McDonagh, 24, male, irish (judged from name)Michael McDonaghsuspect, Matusz Batiuk, 33, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matusz Batiuk