Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of former defence forces member

A 43‑year‑old man, Philip Ambrose, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 72‑year‑old former Defence Forces member Michael Hayes.

Ambrose appeared before Mr Justice Sean Gillane at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, stating, “I plead not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter.” The plea was accepted by senior counsel Michael Delaney for the State, who will seek victim impact statements from Hayes’s family.

Ambrose, who has no fixed abode, was remanded in continuing custody and is due back in court next Friday for a sentencing date. He was previously flagged for a psychiatric evaluation after being charged with Hayes’s murder.

Hayes, a native of Kilmurry Court, Garryowen, was found with critical injuries outside his home on St Michael’s Court, Watergate, Limerick City. Neighbours assisted and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The court heard that Hayes was a retired member of the 12th Infantry Battalion, Sarsfield Barracks, and a former member of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) Post 6. His family thanked neighbours, particularly Vinny Lee, for their prompt assistance on the night of the incident.

Retired Defence Forces and United Nations members performed a guard of honour at Hayes’s funeral mass in St John’s Cathedral, with his coffin draped in the tricolour. Tributes highlighted his generosity, humour and community spirit.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels.