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Aaron McDonagh was sentenced today at the Central Criminal Court. Shutterstock

Man jailed for eight years over death of 'vulnerable pensioner' in house fire

The man was 16 at the time of the offence.

A 21-YEAR-old man has been jailed for eight years for killing a vulnerable pensioner by setting fire to his home five years ago.

Aaron McDonagh (21), of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 61-year-old Gerry Marron on 21 March, 2016. He was 16 at the time.

He had also pleaded guilty to committing arson on the same date by setting fire to Gerry Marron’s house at St Macartans Villas, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, intending to damage it or being reckless as to whether it would be damaged and intending to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered.

Mr Justice Michael White sentenced the man, who has a learning disability, to nine years on each count, and suspended the final year.

Both sentences are to run concurrently.

More to follow…

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    Mute Mike Ryan
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 12:30 PM

    8 years for burning an old man to death. And more than likely out in 5.

    Unbelievable.

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    Mute Willie Bill Bryan
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 12:38 PM

    The Judiciary are on another planet , it would seem the Citizen does have minimal value in this country , garlic has more value in law

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 12:46 PM

    I’ve written it many times” the main function or the judiciary is to protect the incomes of the earnings of all the legal profession”—Keeping criminals locked up is akin to a dairy farmer drying off his cows.

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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 2:26 PM

    @John Mc Donagh: That’s actually a really good point

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    Mute Merlin
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 1:24 PM

    This makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. I knew Gerry from the building trade, a nicer man you really could not meet. As for the yoke that killed him, vermin pure vermin, a bullet would be wasted on him. Him and his cohorts have caused mayhem for years around Carrick, Blayney and Kingscourt. Got houses handed to them and absolutely thrashed them, robbed houses and businesses all round the place while living on taxpayers money. S*um of the earth.

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 1:36 PM

    @Merlin: That’s telling ‘em, That’s whats needs to be shouted from the rooftops . Unfortunately, none, and I repeat none of our legislators appear to take this on board.

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    Mute Merlin
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 1:41 PM

    @John Mc Donagh: Too soft in this country, as referenced in the comments here already the avoidance of tax/vat seems to be a more serious crime

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    Mute Matt
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 1:44 PM

    @John Mc Donagh: they take it on board but choose to ignore it. Because freeloaders go roaring, shouting and causing disruption. Thats the tactic. The more you give the more they want. They should learn what no means and what its like to work for what you want.

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 2:17 PM

    @Merlin: Thats so infuriating..the poor mans family got no real justice at all. We need much tougher sentencing laws in this country. People think the USA are too tough, well not if the punishment fits the crime, theyre not.

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    Mute Elaine Phelan
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 9:42 PM

    @Merlin: no justice for his family at all. So sad

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    Mute Rathminder
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 5:40 PM

    A learning disability is no excuse for murder. If I can’t spell or do maths I can still tell right from wrong.

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    Mute Elaine Phelan
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    Jul 23rd 2021, 9:39 PM

    @Eddie O’Neill: that is horrendous. The poor pore man

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