A 20-year-old man who strangled his mother to death was yesterday found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
Damien Donnan, of De Valera Park, Thomondgate, Limerick, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Jennifer Donnan (42), at the family home on April 17th, 2000.
The family said they were "extremely grateful for the compassion shown to Damien". But they were critical of the mental health laws which needed urgent reform to prevent "another family from having to go through the same thing".
During the trial Donnan's grandparents and aunts said they did not hold him responsible for his mother's death. They said he was a very gentle but extremely disturbed young man who "was a victim of circumstance for far too long".
His mother and father, Mr Daniel Donnan, had separated after years of acrimony. He had received psychiatric care and had tried to commit suicide three times. Mr Justice Carney remanded him in custody for sentence on April 12th.