A man has been jailed for life for the murder of a homeless man in the Phoenix Park.

Ciaran Moran (29), who is also homeless, changed his plea to guilty mid-trial - finally admitting that he had killed Gerard Donnelly with a lump hammer before setting him on fire in November 2013.

Gardaí initially thought they had come across a mannequin when they found the burning body of Mr Donnelly in bushes by the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park.

The homeless man was bludgeoned to death, and one of his toes was amputated, before his killer set him on fire.

Moran then went on a spending spree.

The court heard that despite being homeless, the deceased had funds of around €150,000.

The victim was an only child and was described in court today as his widowed mother's 'only ray of sunshine in this world'.

Moran has been jailed for life for murder.