A man described as one of the most violent criminals Limerick has ever seen was jailed for life today after being convicted of the murder of a barman in the city four years ago.
A co-accused was also found guilty of murder.
After deliberating for more than six hours, a jury at the Central Criminal Court unanimously convicted Raymond Casey (38) of Ashe Avenue of the murder of Mr Noel Pyper (48) on August 12th 1997.
Shortly after, the jury found Anthony Casey (21) with an address at Mount Pleasant Avenue, Limerick also guilty of murder.
Both men were sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment.
The head of the murder investigation, Superintendent Gerry Mahon of Limerick, said in his 30 years in Limerick city, Raymond Casey is "one of the most violent criminals Limerick has ever seen". He had 53 previous convictions, including arson, assault, robbery and possession of drugs.
Anthony Casey, who was in care since the age of seven, has eight previous convictions, including criminal damage and larceny.
The court had heard that Noel Pyper was kicked to death in an apparent mugging attempt in the early hours of the morning of August 12th shortly after he left work at Noel's Bar in Limerick City Centre.
Evidence was given that he normally took from the pub takings £150 to buy provisions for the pub for the following day. The prosecution case was that Raymond Casey followed the victim into a fast food restaurant and then, with Anthony Casey, "stalked" him until he came to a laneway.
The court heard that Mr Pyper, who was suffering from advanced throat cancer, sustained a savage beating and died from inhalation of blood caused by multiple facial fractures from kicks to the face and head.
His partially concealed body was found later that morning dumped behind refuse bins at the end of the lane. The snack box he had bought from the takeaway was found lying underneath him. The pub takings were never recovered.