A young father from Co Offaly has been jailed for eight years for his part in the killing of 47-year-old Christy Daly two years ago.

Ross Allen of Kilmonaghan Lodge in Clara suspected him of stealing a bag of drugs and played a role in two assassins being brought down from Dublin.

Ross Allen did not pull the trigger, but a jury felt he did have a hand in the brutal death suffered by Christy Daly, whose body was found in a drain near his home outside Clara in Jan 2014.

A burnt-out car containing 9mm bullets similar to spent bullets found at the scene was found at a nearby quarry.

Mr Allen (aged 26) left a bag of drugs near Mr Daly’s caravan and suspected him of stealing it when he returned to retrieve it.

The drugs belonged to a criminal referred to as ‘Mr X’ during the trial and his suspicions ultimately led to two assassins being called in from Dublin.

Mr Allen facilitated the killing by retrieving a car and a sawn-off shotgun and by acting as a lookout.

He was convicted of manslaughter in May and handed a jail sentence today.

Mr. Justice Patrick McCarthy described what it as a “very grave offence” but said he had to offer him some light at the end of the tunnel and suspended the final two years of a 10-year sentence.