A man who strangled and beat his on-off partner to death during a psychotic episode that may have been triggered or exacerbated by drug use has been jailed for 14 years and must undergo five years of post-release supervision and psychiatric care.
Mr Justice Paul Burns today passed sentence on Richard Burke who was found not guilty of murdering Jasmine McMonagle but guilty of her manslaughter earlier this year. The court heard that his responsibility for the killing was substantially diminished by a mental disorder. One of the doctors noted that the disorder "may have been triggered or exacerbated" by drug use.
Mr Justice Burns said that despite his condition, Burke knew that what he was doing was wrong, understood the nature of what he was doing and he could have stopped himself.
