Calvin Dunne (25) Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison For Manslaughter Of Dylan McCarthy (29) In Monasterevin

The incident occurred in 2022

A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison for the manslaughter of a man who died after being assaulted outside a pub in Monasterevin almost three years ago.

During sentencing at the Central Criminal Court, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs noted that the prosecution had claimed Calvin Dunne delivered "a running kick" to 29-year-old Dylan McCarthy while he was on the ground.

However, after reviewing the CCTV footage, the judge concluded that it appeared to be "a one-stride kick" that made contact with McCarthy’s head.

A co-defendant, 27-year-old Sean Kavanagh, was sentenced to two years and two months after being convicted of assault causing harm and violent disorder, both related to the same incident that took place on 21 August 2022 on the Dublin Road in Monasterevin.

Mr. Dunne, from Abbey View in Monasterevin was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter following a trial earlier this year.

He was also convicted of violent disorder, which he had denied.

Two weeks into the trial, Mr. Kavanagh, of St Mary’s Lane, Church Avenue, Monasterevin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Dylan McCarthy’s father, Eamonn McCarthy.

A charge of violent disorder was considered as part of his sentencing.

After a defence application, Ms Justice Biggs instructed the jury to acquit Kavanagh of the murder charge, which he had denied.

The incident occurred outside the Bellyard pub in Monasterevin in 2022, when Dylan McCarthy was punched and kicked, including a blow to the head while he attempted to get up from the ground.

Two eyewitnesses testified that McCarthy was kicked in the head, with one describing the impact as a "loud thud," similar to "kicking a football," while the other compared it to "a car door" closing.

Dunne argued that he acted in self-defense, claiming that McCarthy had been violent during the altercation and that he did not kick him in the head.

Dylan McCarthy’s death was caused by a traumatic head and spinal injury from blunt force trauma.

State Pathologist Dr. Heidi Okkers told the jury that it was impossible to determine whether a punch or kick had caused the fatal injury.