A man who was originally charged with the murder of a West Cork pensioner will be sentenced for his manslaughter in May.

BY OLIVIA KELLEHER

Aaron Wolfe (31) of Glentrasna Court, The Glen, Cork pleaded guilty in February to the unlawful killing of Florence (Florrie) O’Sullivan on March 11th, 2023.

The case was adjourned for a probation report and a governor’s report on Wolfe, who has been in custody since the incident.

Last Friday March 20th at a sitting of the Central Criminal in Cork the sentencing hearing was further adjourned until May to allow time for the preparation of the probation report.

Prosecution barrister Paula McCarthy said the report on Mr Wolfe should be completed by mid-May.

Mr Wolfe appeared in court via video link. Justice Siobhan Lankford further remanded him in custody to May 20th.

Sgt Caitriona Malloy previously gave an outline of the case.

She said Aaron Wolfe was drinking pints of lager on his own in Linen-Weavers pub in Paul Street in Cork city centre from about 3pm on March 11th, 2023.

Florrie O’Sullivan (68) went in to have a coffee in the same bar at about 4pm and the two men struck up a conversation.

At about 5pm they decided to leave together to get a taxi to The Glen where Wolfe was living with his grandmother, Eileen Karluk.

They subsequently got another taxi to Mahon in Cork city where Wolfe called to a relative.

Shortly after 7pm O’Sullivan realised he had left a bag at the property in The Glen.

The two men got a taxi back to the northside of the city arriving in Glentrasna Court shortly before 7.40pm.

The taxi driver told gardaí there was no sign of ill feeling between them.

Wolfe had been drinking Jägermeister during his taxi journeys and he had about six pints of lager in the pub.

Sgt Molloy said that at about 8.15pm gardaí received calls from the public that a ‘violent assault’ was taking place outside the property at Glentrasna Court.

One member of the public told gardai that a man was ‘on the ground covered in blood. There is fella still kicking him on the ground. His name is Aaron.’

Florence O’Sullivan, who was living in Carrigaline but originally from Adrigole, was transferred to Cork University Hospital that night.

He died of his injuries on April 6th, 2023.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem examination on the deceased.

She concluded that O’Sullivan died from a traumatic brain injury due to blunt force trauma.

When Wolfe was questioned by gardai his only explanation for his actions was that the pensioner was not fast enough leaving the house when he asked him to go.

He told gardai that he had a blackout and could not remember what happened outside the house.

In a victim impact statement Paddy O’Sullivan, a brother to the late Florrie, said that he received a phone call that nobody should ever get about a much-loved relative.

Mr O’Sullivan said that Florrie was a generous and caring man.

‘He was a kind and good-natured person, never failing to help people in trouble. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Florrie.

‘I (once) crashed my car and I could not afford to replace it. Florrie said, ‘come up to the city and I’ll give you one’.

Not alone does this (death) affect families but it affects the whole community. I swore on his soul (at his grave) that I would get justice for him.’

Aaron Wolfe has 78 previous convictions including violent disorder and assault causing harm.