Kildare man's plea of guilty to manslaughter not accepted by DPP

A 21-year-old man from Athy, Co. Kildare, charged with the murder of a 20-year-old in April 2013, has changed his plea to guilty of manslaughter. The Central Criminal Court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions has not accepted this plea. The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to murder. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn-off shotgun and cartridges in suspicious circumstances, having previously faced a charge of possession with intent to endanger life. Two co-accused, aged 21, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the same firearms offence, with their pleas accepted by the DPP. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, continues on Monday.