Overview
- A Central Criminal Court jury found Wayne Roche guilty of murder and Mr Justice Patrick McGrath imposed the mandatory life sentence.
- The court heard that John O'Connor suffered more than 100 blunt-force injuries and effectively bled to death after a savage beating in his home.
- The judge recorded Roche's long criminal record of 83 prior convictions and condemned his repeated interruptions, threats and his decision to leave the courtroom during sentencing.
- Prosecution evidence said Roche and Mr O'Connor had taken heroin, benzodiazepines and crack on the day of the killing and the jury rejected Roche's claim that drug use erased his memory of events.
- In a victim impact statement the O'Connor family described the attack as vicious and said Roche showed no remorse while the judge praised the family's dignity and extended his condolences.