A Prospect man has been found guilty of murdering his friend during a drunken rage.
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Peter Fitzgerald drowned in his own blood after Anthony Colin Finnegan stomped and kicked on his head.
The pair had been drinking together earlier in the night at Mr Fitzgerald’s Kerry Court unit at Summerhill, before the mood turned deadly.
After more than two weeks of listening to witnesses and reviewing evidence, the jury began its deliberations on Tuesday.
The defence had argued Finnegan had not killed Mr Fitzgerald, and instead turned the attention to two other men who were at the scene on the night.
But the jury was not convinced.
It took them two hours to decide unanimously that the accused was responsible for the death of Mr Fitzgerald.
Crown Prosecutor Jackie Hartnett said the murder charge was aggravated by the violent nature of the crime and described it as a “cowardly” attack.
“Mr Finnegan has an absence of remorse,” she said.
“At the very least he ought to have know he inflicted significant violence on the deceased.”
She said the killer had a significant history of violence and had previously been convicted of multiple assaults, aggravated armed robbery, robbery, breaching family violence orders, and perverting the course of justice.
The defence is expected to make sentencing submissions on Tuesday afternoon.
