Mulvaney killer assaulted two others

An 18-year-old man who was convicted in April of the manslaughter of Mr Brian Mulvaney in Templeogue, Co Dublin, has pleaded …

An 18-year-old man who was convicted in April of the manslaughter of Mr Brian Mulvaney in Templeogue, Co Dublin, has pleaded guilty to charges arising from two other assaults on the same night.

Last month a jury convicted Stephen Aherne of the manslaughter of Mr Mulvaney (19), who died after being chased and beaten to death following a party in Templeogue on March 11th, 2000.

Another man, Brian Willoughby, was jailed for life for his murder, and a third, Mr Neal Barbour, was acquitted.

At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Aherne, formerly of Willington Crescent, Templeogue and with an address at College Farm Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to two crimes committed in the hours before the fatal encounter with Mr Mulvaney.

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He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Matthew O'Dowd at Templeogue Road, Terenure, on March 11th, 2000, and to a second assault in which he produced a drinking glass in a manner likely to intimidate Karl Dunne at the same location.

During last month's trial it emerged that both Aherne and Mr Barbour had pint glasses when they left a 21st birthday party in Terenure to walk home together. Mr Barbour told gardaí that Aherne suggested: "It's fun to walk home when you're locked".

Before he met Willoughby at the Orwell Shopping Centre and joined in the fatal assault on Mr Mulvaney, Aherne was involved in the assaults on Mr O'Dowd and Mr Dunne on the Templeogue Road. One of the men was injured when a glass was used on him.

Mr Mulvaney died later that night after being chased and dragged to the ground by his attackers, one of whom danced on his head. He knew none of the three men in the incident.

Mr Justice White remanded Aherne in custody while victim impact reports are prepared in relation to the assaults on Mr O'Dowd and Mr Dunne.

Mr Justice White will sentence Aherne on both charges and for the manslaughter charge on October 13th.

Neal Barbour is also due to face a number of charges in June 2004 in relation to the alleged assaults on the night of March 11th, 2000.