Family of dead man to sue hotel after bar staff cleared of manslaughter

The family of the Englishman who died of alcoholic poisoning after a night’s drinking in Tipperary are to take a civil case against the owners of Hayes Hotel where he died.

Graham Parish’s death resulted in a manslaughter charge against the hotel’s bar manager Gary Wright and barman Aidan Dalton.

Both men were found not guilty in the landmark case which closed on Thursday but now the dead man’s family have confirmed that they are to take legal action against the hotel, three years after Parish’s death.

Papers have already been lodged in Ireland’s High Court by Parish’s parents David and Julie while the Mulcahy Hotel group have already lodged their defence after deciding to contest the case.

Wright and Dalton were acquitted in Ireland’s first ‘liquor liability’ trial after six days in court when the jury heard that Parish downed an ‘eight shot’ drink.

Manager Wright and barman Dalton were cleared after Judge Tom Teehan directed the jury at Nenagh Circuit Court to find the two men not guilty.

The judge determined that the 26-year-old victim had decided himself to drink in the hours leading up to his death.

The judge told the jury that the accused had ‘a duty of care to Parish, had breached that duty of care, and their negligence was gross’.

The judge ruled however that no proof had been given that the negligence of the barmen had caused the victim’s death and stated that the courts placed a high importance on individual responsibility.

“A decision was taken by Mr Parish, even after Mr Dalton and Mr Wright came to the conclusion that the drink should be served,” said Judge Teehan.

“He then took the decision to consume that drink and that was a supervening event to break the chain of causation.”

Speaking afterwards solicitor for the barmen JJ Fitzgerald expressed their sympathy to Parish’s family who were present in court for the duration of the trial.

“This has been a stressful time in both men’s lives and they are happy that this has been brought to close,” Fitzgerald told reporters.

A statement from the Parish family said: “We hope that this case will highlight the dangers of drink and if it can prevent any more deaths, we feel Graham’s death will not have been in vain.”

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Irish barmen charged with manslaughter for serving a 10-shot drink to birthday boy

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