Meat factory worker convicted of poker game manslaughter rather than murder

A meat factory worker has been cleared of murder, but convicted of the manslaughter of the poker opponent he killed with a boning knife from the factory’s ‘kill floor’. He told gardai that he didn’t have any thoughts in his brain at the time, and the defence argued that this showed lack of intent.

The 39-year-old had admitted the killling but denied murder. The Central Criminal Court heard that he used his work knife to stab his housemate after losing hundreds of euro to him in a New Year’s Eve poker game at their home.

Tomaz Paszkiewicz had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of fellow Polish man Marek Swider (40) on Dublin Street, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan on January 1, 2018. The farm worker died of two stab wounds to his upper body.

Following almost five hours of deliberations, the jury reached a majority verdict of not (NOT) guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Justice Burns remanded the accused in custody for sentencing on July 15, when a victim impact statement will be ready.