Two staff of County Tipperary hotel deny unlawful killing of guest in first case of its kind under Ireland's liquor liability laws
Two Irish barmen have denied the manslaughter of an English tourist who died from acute alcohol poisoning almost three years ago.
A jury has been sworn in for the landmark prosecution against Gary Wright and Aidan Dalton in Co Tipperary in the Irish Republic.
The case – the first of its kind under liquor liability laws in Ireland – will be opened by the prosecution later on Wednesday.
Pub owners and bar staff have expressed concern over the decision to prosecute the pair given the impact it may have on Ireland's drinks trade. The Republic has seen hundreds of pubs close, partly because of the smoking ban and the impact of the recession in Ireland.
Wright, 34, a bar manager at the historic Hayes hotel in Thurles, and Dalton, a 29-year-old barman, both from Kilfithmone near Borrisoleigh in Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of Graham Parish.
Parish, 26, from the village of Lomeshaye near Nelson, east Lancashire, was a resident at the hotel when he died by acute alcohol intoxication.
Paddy McCarthy, senior counsel for the state at Nenagh circuit court, told the court Parish's body was discovered in a conference room shortly after 6am on 1 July 2008. Parish had been celebrating his birthday.
Gardaí later investigated claims that Parish had choked on his own vomit. The court case comes after a two-year inquiry led by Superintendant Tony Cogan of Thurles garda station.
The dead man's parents, David and Julie, were in court for the case, which is expected to run until Friday or early next week.
In a statement a year after the death the hotel said: "We are not in a position to comment as the matter is sub-judice, except to say that we have co-operated fully with gardaí on this tragic matter throughout their investigation.
"However, our thoughts at this time are first and foremost with the family and friends of the deceased, Mr Graham Parish."