Rathangan Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For "Brutally" Beating His Friend To Death

Monday, 7 April 2025 14:06

By Eoin Beatty

Robert Broughan killed Roy Hopkins in 2020

A 30-year-old man who "brutally" beat his best friend to death has been sentenced to life in prison.

Robert Broughan, of St Patrick's Park, Rathangan, attacked 34-year-old Roy Hopkins on the Grand Canal on July 31st 2020 after they had gone fishing together.

Mr. Broughan told the Gardaí there had never been a cross word between him and Roy Hopkins.

However he said he wanted to kill someone, and he brutally beat his friend to death with a baseball bat.

Broughan made full admissions to Gardai in custody.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Hopkins' mother, Caitriona Hopkins, said Robert Broughan destroyed her trust in people and that no sentence would compare to the pain, grief and loss he had inflicted on their family.

The Judge said Robert Broughan had not shown any remorse.

He was sentenced to mandatory life in prison.

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