Galway farmer found guilty of aunt's manslaughter, but not guilty of murder

Michael Scott claimed he accidentally ran over Chrissie Treacy in his JCB teleporter on the 27th of April 2018
Frank Greaney
Frank Greaney

13.23 30 Mar 2023


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Galway farmer found guilty of...

Galway farmer found guilty of aunt's manslaughter, but not guilty of murder

Frank Greaney
Frank Greaney

13.23 30 Mar 2023


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A Galway farmer has been found not of murdering his aunt, but guilty of her manslaughter.

Michael Scott, of Gortanumera, Portumna, claimed he accidentally ran over Chrissie Treacy in his JCB teleporter on the 27th of April 2018.

Following a lengthy trial, the jury was sent out on Friday.

After considering the evidence, they found Michael Scott not guilty of his aunt's murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

They had been deliberating for 15 hours.

The judge had told them to first consider the murder allegation and if they were not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr Scott intended to kill or cause Chrissie Treacy serious harm, then they could find him guilty of manslaughter if they believed he was grossly negligent when he reversed over her in his JCB teleporter.

Mr Scott insisted he did not see her and that it was a tragic farming accident.

The prosecution claimed he killed her because she was looking to formally partition prime farmland they co-owned in Portumna.

His sentence hearing will take place in June.

Main image: Farmer Michael Scott from Portumna, County Galway, leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice, 20/01/2023. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

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Chrissie Treacy Galway JCB Teleporter Manslaughter Michael Scott Portumna