TWO Dublin men were jailed for 10 years yesterday after they admitted killing a drug dealer who was strangled with a belt and flex before having his head immersed in a bath.
The Central Criminal Court heard Mr John Neanor was killed in a row over his failure to pay £5 owed for a cannabis deal.
He died of asphyxiation after being strangled by Joseph Myles and Francis Dargle. He was then placed with his head over the rim of a bath which was filled with water. His hands were tied behind.
Prosecuting counsel Mr Gregory Murphy SC said the placing of Mr Neanor's head in water, with his hands tied behind his back was an "imbecilic attempt" to suggest he had committed suicide.
Mr Murphy told the court yesterday that Joseph Myles (21), of Buttercup Park, Darndale, and Francis Dargle (21), of Donoghmore Crescent, Tallaght, admitted the manslaughter of Mr Neanor (19), at the flat where he was staying at Drumalee Court, North Circular Road, last February 2nd.
Det Insp P.J. Browne said he was satisfied both men were remorseful. He agreed they were not hardened criminals. He would be surprised if either were involved in such a serious offence again.
Counsel for both men said they wished to express their deep regret and remorse for their actions to the family of Mr Neanor.
Sentencing the two men, Mr Justice Paul Carney said the "sad case" arose out of a drugs background common to both the accused and deceased.
The drugs background was of soft drugs and it led to "a most horrific homicide", he said.
"Worse is the fact that the precipitating event to this outrage was a falling out over the price of a £5 cannabis deal which had, unusually, been given on credit," he said.
In determining sentence, Mr Justice Carney took account against the accused the "horrific nature" of their crime, the further insult to Mr Neanor of portraying his death as suicide and the "miniscule nature" of what had given rise to the brutal killing.
In favour of the accused, the "judge said he took account of their pleas of guilty to manslaughter at an early stage and that all the facts regarding the killing were supplied by them to the Garda.
He was also satisfied that immediate and genuine remorse was expressed by both men.
Mr Justice Carney sentenced both men to 10 years. He suspended the last 14 months of the sentence and refused leave to appeal against severity of sentence.
Outlining the facts of the case, Mr Murphy said both men had been drinking throughout February 1st and into the early hours of February 2nd. They also took drugs.
Counsel said the two men made statements to gardai in which they admitted strangling Mr Neanor.
In his statement, Francis Dargle said John Neanor had owed money to a friend of Joseph Myles for a cannabis deal. He and Myles had gone to Mr Neanor's flat. They smoked cannabis and later he saw Myles fighting with Mr Neanor. He intervened.
"Next thing I was holding a black cable in my hand," he said. "The cable was around John Neanor's neck... I was pulling the cable. At the same time John stopped moving."
Dargle said he and Myles had panicked and decided to make it appear there was a burglary. They tied Mr Neanor's hands behind his back and lifted him into the bathroom. They put his head on the bath rim and filled the bath. They took a number of items from the flat which they later dumped.
He said in the statement: "I am very sorry, it was a real accident and I'll do my time that's handed down to me by the courts. It's never enough to bring their son back."
In his statement, Joseph Myles said he never intended to kill Mr Neanor.