The distraught parents of an 18 year-old man, who was stabbed to death at a house party, told a court they were "shocked" and "disgusted" that their son's killer was not convicted of murder.
John and Gretta Cully spoke in the witness box after a jury found Keith McMahon not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of their son, Edward Cully.
McMahon of 108 Shanabooly Road, Ballynanty, Limerick, had denied murdering Mr Cully at Merval Crescent, Clareview, Limerick, on February 9th, 2003.
Following nearly seven hours of deliberations at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, the jury of seven men and five women returned a majority verdict of 10 to 2.
During the five-day trial, evidence was heard that Edward Cully had suffered a fatal stab wound to the chest at a house party in Limerick.
He had earlier been drinking with the accused at a city-centre nightclub and later they went to the party with friends. Dr Margaret Bolster gave evidence that there were traces of the recreational drug, MDMA, present in the dead man's blood stream.
Two key witnesses also gave evidence identifying Keith McMahon as the person who stabbed Mr Cully three times with a kitchen knife.
During the trial the jury was shown a taped interview with gardai in which the accused said he had merely intended to "prick" Edward Cully with the knife.
Following yesterday's majority verdict, the dead man's parents spoke in court of their difficulties in coming to terms with the verdict.
John Cully said his family would never get over Edward's death and he added that he could not wish their sense of grief and shock on any other family.
"I do not understand this verdict today — it will never make sense. I think it will take a terrible toll on all of us — we are quite shocked by the verdict. It's such a terrible act, so sudden, and you never get a chance to say goodbye," he said.
As family members wept openly in the public gallery, the father-of-six told the court that it was impossible for him to comprehend that he would never see his son again.
"I don't believe that anyone can really understand the pain and suffering that a family goes through unless this actually happens to you," said Mr Cully.
Mr Justice Carney adjourned sentencing to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Limerick on February 24th next.