There were chaotic scenes at the Central Criminal Court after a Co Clare man was convicted of murdering Piotr Nowakowski in Ennis last year.

Supporters of the accused man Michael Maughan (40) of Stone Court, Ennis, shouted abuse at the jury and overturned a bench in the court room.

It took the jury under two and a half hours to unanimously convict Maughan of the murder of Mr Nowakowski at Sandfield Mews in Ennis in July last year.

He had admitted manslaughter. The jury heard he stabbed the Polish man twice after they had spent the day and night drinking together.

In a victim impact statement, relatives said his loss is like 'a big sadness taking our soul'.

Maughan's lawyers offered his apologies and said he really regrets what he has done.

Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder and the court rose.

After that, there was uproar as a couple of Maughan's supporters overturned a bench and hurled verbal abuse at the jury shouting 'Look what you've done..you've ruined our lives' - before being appeased by gardaí.