A GRIEVING FATHER has told a manslaughter sentencing hearing that when his son’s life support was turned off in early January of last year, it was “29 minutes before he passed — a minute for every year of his life”.

In a powerful victim impact statement, at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork, Pat O’Neill said that he and his wife Eileen had held the hand of their beloved only child, Matt, at Cork University Hospital as he took his final breath on 8 January 2023.

“It was 29 minutes of heartbreaking sadness that no parent should ever have to experience. This trauma will never leave us.”

O’Neill delivered the statement at the sentencing hearing of 21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, Co Cork and 20-year-old Jordan Deasy of Ravensdale, Heron’s Wood in the town.

Both men had gone on trial earlier this year in Cork earlier charged with the murder of Matt O’Neill on 28 December 2022 at Glenwood Estate in Carrigaline. They were both found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

O’Neill told Justice Siobhan Lankford that he and his wife Eileen were on the street in Carrigaline on the night of the attack as their son “lay lifeless and bleeding” surrounded by people trying to save his life.

“We are haunted by these images and the thought of the lonely terror and pain he (Matt) must have felt, those images will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

Matt, who was very close to his parents, was born in Brisbane in Australia. O’Neill said that they did everything as a trio.

“We did so much together. Matt loved water sports. He could swim before he could walk. He was an excellent swimmer and surfer and he had trained in life saving.

Together we surfed, climbed, kayaked and camped. He loved all of it. On a cold wet winter Saturday or Sunday Matt would be the one walking up early and insisting we go out and do some activity. He would come and wake me up by lifting up my eyelid and say ‘wake up Dad,’ talking in to my eye.”

The court heard that Matt was a “lovely” person with a “quiet and pleasant disposition”. O’Neill said that his son had a “kind and gentle soul” and was involved in several rescues in his short life.

When Matt was just 13 years old the family were surfing on a beach in Kerry when six people got in to difficulty in the water. Pat O’Neill recalled that while he was getting three people to shore Matt went to the aid of the other three people who were further out.

“He gave two of them his surfboard to stay afloat. He brought the third one in. One was in a very serious condition. Matt’s action saved that man’s life.

“Even now, he has gone on to save a further three lives by donating his organs, which were successfully transplanted.”

O’Neill also said that his son had many talents.

“Matt was intelligent and had the ability to retain incredible detail as he had a photographic memory. He had a great talent in fixing anything mechanical from a drill to an engine.”

Matt was particularly close to his mother Eileen. Pat and Eileen say that they particularly miss Matt when they are having his favourite meals and he is not at the table with them.

Pat O’Neill also spoke with fondness about how about Matt reacted when their family dog ‘Xena’ died suddenly about a decade ago.

“He tried to resuscitate her by blowing in to her mouth. I knew she had died but Matt wouldn’t have it any other way but to take her to the vet to make sure she couldn’t be saved. That was his kind and caring nature.

“And now he is gone. His clothes still hang in the wardrobe, he will never wear them again. If we go in to his bedroom his scent is still there and we are reduced to sadness and tears south the realisation of his absence.”

The loving father added that there will never again be Christmas in their home.

“In fact, it is unlikely there will ever be any celebration, after the mindless aggression and violence against our son and a complete lack of empathy, when they (Hoey and Deasy) could have walked away.”

Garda evidence

Meanwhile, Detective Garda Brid Norris said in evidence that the attack on O’Neill occurred in Glenwood Estate in the town as O’Neill was walking back to his home from a petrol station. Matt was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) with his injuries and lapsed in to a coma. However, he never regained consciousness and died in hospital 11 days later.

Detective Garda Norris said that Hoey had gotten out of his car on the day of the offence pushing Matt O’Neill who fell to the ground. Jordan Deasy then punched him twice with Ricardo Hoey then kicking Matt once in the head. The pair then left the scene in the car driven and owned by Mr Hoey.

She said that Hoey informed his mother that an altercation had taken place. He presented himself to gardaí within an hour of the incident. Detective Garda Norris said Deasy went in to hiding but was arrested on 31 December 2022.

Detective Garda Norris that during questioning the men had accepted that their behaviour was cowardly and unnecessary.

Barrister Tom Creed SC, for Hoey, said that his client had contacted gardaí within an hour of his offending behaviour occurring.

The court heard that Hoey, who is a trained scaffolder, was without previous convictions. Deasy has eleven previous convictions one of which was for assault causing harm.

Creed emphasised that there was no question of premeditation or a weapon in the case and that his client had co operated fully with gardaí.

Barrister Brendan Grehon SC, representing Deasy, said that his client along with Hoey had a plea of manslaughter declined at the start of the murder trial.

He said that Deasy had never intended to seriously hurt Matt O’Neill. The court heard that Deasy was doing very well in prison where he is an “enhanced prisoner”.

Ms Justice Lankford heard that both men were hugely remorseful for their actions on the night. Sentencing in the case was adjourned until 31 July next.

The murder trial had heard evidence from over thirty witnesses including John McGovern, who was walking through the estate in Carrigaline at about 7.30pm on the night of the offence, and saw O’Neill on the ground in front of a car with two men standing over him.

“I asked ‘Lads, what’s after going on here?’ I approached the man on the ground who I noticed was unconscious. Only the taller man replied and said ‘He wouldn’t get out of the way.’ I presumed he meant the man on the ground would not get out of the way of the car.”

Detective Garda Ian Breen gave evidence of memos of garda interviews with Deasy. He said he and Ricardo Hoey were driving in Glenwood when they came upon Matt O’Neill.

“He (Matt O’Neill) was standing in front of the car. He would not get out of the way of the car. He wouldn’t move. We were telling him to move.”