The 66-year-old skipper of the Pisces fishing boat that sank in 2002 resulting in the drownings of five people has been found not guilty on all five counts of manslaughter.
Patrick Barden of Fethard-on-Sea, Co Wexford, was however, found guilty of being the master and owner of a dangerously unsafe ship contrary to Section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1981, and was fined €1000.
The jury of seven men and five women returned a not guilty verdict on all five manslaughter charges relating to the unlawful killing of James Cooney (60), his son-in-law, Séamus Doyle (33) and grandson Mark (13), John Cullen (44) and Martin Roche (67), all of Co Wexford, on July 28th, 2002.