Road-rage victim was told of new grandson on deathbed
Raymond Bates?s widow Brenda leaving court yesterday with her sons (from left) Mark, Karl and Paul.
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Tuesday April 24 2012
THE devastated son of a grandfather who died days after he was beaten with a hurley in a road-rage attack has told how he paid a heartbreaking visit to his dying father to tell him his second grandson was on the way.
After Mr Justice Paul Carney jailed Karl Donohoe (31) for 10 years for manslaughter, the distraught family of victim Raymond Bates (49) told how the father-of-three never got to meet his now 11-month-old grandson, celebrate his 50th birthday or his 30th anniversary to his childhood sweetheart.
Mark Bates told the Irish Independent he visited his father, a construction worker from Peterlee, Durham in England, on his deathbed in Beaumont Hospital to tell him he was going to be a granddad again.
The baby was later named Lennon Ray Bates in the dead man's honour.
Mark Bates said the family would never be able to "forgive" Donohoe or the "things he said, saying he (Mr Bates) deserved it".
Applause rang out across the Central Criminal Court as Brenda Bates (49) -- Mr Bates's wife of 28 years -- shouted 'yes' as Donohoe was sentenced to 12 years, with the last two suspended.
Possessed
Donohoe (31), of Boulevard, Bealing Village, Tyrellstown, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Bates at the junction of Tritonville Road and Sandymount Road, Dublin, on September 26, 2010.
The victim died four days later in hospital.
Mr Justice Carney yesterday said the accused had appointed "himself sheriff and enforcer" of Mr Bates's "bad and drunken driving" and the "savagery" of the beating warranted the 12-year sentence.
During the trial, the court heard one witness describing Donohoe as looking "possessed" as he repeatedly struck the construction worker about the head and body with a hurley stick.
As Mr Bates lay critically ill in hospital, Donohoe told gardai: "I hope he f***ing dies, he got what he deserved."
Mr Justice Carney said that such words could not be "airbrushed" away.
The trial heard the row between the two began when Donohoe, who was driving in front of Mr Bates, was a "bit slow off the lights" and Mr Bates began to tailgate him.
The court heard that Mr Bates had been drinking in a pub with friends earlier that day and had consumed between eight and 10 pints of Guinness.
Mr Bates overtook Donohoe's car and mounted a traffic island before cutting in on him.
Donohoe, whose 18-month-old daughter was in the car with him, said he feared for his daughter's safety and took a hurley stick from the boot of his car.
A witness said Donohoe hit the passenger door of Mr Bates's car a number of times before Mr Bates stepped out with his hands in the air in a non-confrontational manner and was "hit continuously".
Donohoe maintained he only hit Mr Bates once on the head.
The court heard Donohoe sent a text to his girlfriend, saying: "He got about eight slaps from the hurley to his head."
The court heard Donohoe has four previous convictions for offences including arson, possession of drugs, criminal damage and threatening and abusive behaviour and was on bail at the time of the offence.
Mrs Bates's sister Vivienne Sanderson said Donohoe had destroyed their family and also his own.
After Mr Justice Paul Carney jailed Karl Donohoe (31) for 10 years for manslaughter, the distraught family of victim Raymond Bates (49) told how the father-of-three never got to meet his now 11-month-old grandson, celebrate his 50th birthday or his 30th anniversary to his childhood sweetheart.
Mark Bates told the Irish Independent he visited his father, a construction worker from Peterlee, Durham in England, on his deathbed in Beaumont Hospital to tell him he was going to be a granddad again.
The baby was later named Lennon Ray Bates in the dead man's honour.
Mark Bates said the family would never be able to "forgive" Donohoe or the "things he said, saying he (Mr Bates) deserved it".
Applause rang out across the Central Criminal Court as Brenda Bates (49) -- Mr Bates's wife of 28 years -- shouted 'yes' as Donohoe was sentenced to 12 years, with the last two suspended.
Possessed
Donohoe (31), of Boulevard, Bealing Village, Tyrellstown, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Bates at the junction of Tritonville Road and Sandymount Road, Dublin, on September 26, 2010.
The victim died four days later in hospital.
Mr Justice Carney yesterday said the accused had appointed "himself sheriff and enforcer" of Mr Bates's "bad and drunken driving" and the "savagery" of the beating warranted the 12-year sentence.
During the trial, the court heard one witness describing Donohoe as looking "possessed" as he repeatedly struck the construction worker about the head and body with a hurley stick.
As Mr Bates lay critically ill in hospital, Donohoe told gardai: "I hope he f***ing dies, he got what he deserved."
Mr Justice Carney said that such words could not be "airbrushed" away.
The trial heard the row between the two began when Donohoe, who was driving in front of Mr Bates, was a "bit slow off the lights" and Mr Bates began to tailgate him.
The court heard that Mr Bates had been drinking in a pub with friends earlier that day and had consumed between eight and 10 pints of Guinness.
Mr Bates overtook Donohoe's car and mounted a traffic island before cutting in on him.
Donohoe, whose 18-month-old daughter was in the car with him, said he feared for his daughter's safety and took a hurley stick from the boot of his car.
A witness said Donohoe hit the passenger door of Mr Bates's car a number of times before Mr Bates stepped out with his hands in the air in a non-confrontational manner and was "hit continuously".
Donohoe maintained he only hit Mr Bates once on the head.
The court heard Donohoe sent a text to his girlfriend, saying: "He got about eight slaps from the hurley to his head."
The court heard Donohoe has four previous convictions for offences including arson, possession of drugs, criminal damage and threatening and abusive behaviour and was on bail at the time of the offence.
Mrs Bates's sister Vivienne Sanderson said Donohoe had destroyed their family and also his own.
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