Man (31) admits manslaughter of 'kind and good-natured' pensioner

Olivia Kelleher

A man who was originally charged with the murder of a “kind and good-natured” pensioner has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Aaron Wolfe (31) of Glentrasna Court, The Glen, Cork, appeared before a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in the city on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of Florence (Florrie) O’Sullivan on March 11th, 2023.

Sgt Caitriona Malloy gave an outline of the background in the case. She said that 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 that day 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 residing 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 who drove the men to the house told gardaí that 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 told Justice Siobhan Lankford 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 gardaí 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 originally from Adrigole in west Cork, was transferred to Cork University Hospital that night. He died of his injuries onsite 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 gardaí his only explanation for his actions was that the pensioner was not fast enough leaving the house when he asked him to go.

Wolfe indicated that there was an altercation in the house. He told gardaí 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.

He told Justice Siobhan Lankford that the time between the attack and the death of his brother in hospital, over three weeks later, was one of the hardest periods of his life.

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 am here to get justice for my brother Florrie, I want closure. We are three years waiting for it. It is a one-sided story – my brother is not here to defend himself. I swore on his soul (at his grave) that I would get justice for him.”

The court heard that the progression of the case was hampered by delays in obtaining a psychiatric report on Wolfe.

Defence senior counsel Brendan Grehan said that his client had expressed remorse for his actions. Wolfe asked his barrister to apologise to the family of the deceased.

Grehan described O’Sullivan as harmless and inoffensive. He added that Wolfe said that he did not mean to kill O’Sullivan.

He indicated that his client had almost doubled in weight since he entered prison three years ago and now weighs 25 stone.

Aaron Wolfe has 78 previous convictions. The includes a conviction for engaging in a violent disorder six years ago and an assault causing harm conviction dating back to 2016.

Justice Lankford adjourned the case for sentencing on February 27th next. She directed that reports be prepared by the probation service and the prison governor in the interim.

Florrie O’Sullivan lived in a flat in Cork city for many years before moving to Carrigaline in Co Cork. He was laid to rest at Kilcaskin Cemetery on April 10th, 2023, after a requiem mass at St Fatchna’s Church in Adrigole.

He is survived by his siblings, extended family and friends.