A man who stabbed another in Liverpool was fortunate to be cleared of murder but still got sentenced to life for manslaughter.
On the evening of Thursday 31st July 1834 two men got into an altercation in King Street (now covered by Chavasse Park), the reasons for which were never satisfactorily established. One of them, Patrick Brogan, took out a large knife and plunged it into the abdomen of the other, severing his intestines.
The injured man was Patrick Sweeney, who fell down immediately and was taken home, where he lingered until the following Sunday. Brogan had been picked up soon after the stabbing in a 'house of ill fame' in adjacent Atherton Street. On 4th August an inquest took place and a verdict of wilful murder returned, leading to Brogan being committed for trial at the Lancaster assizes.
On 15th August Brogan appeared before Lord Lyndhurst where he was found guilty of manslaughter after three quarters of an hours deliberation by the jury. The judge made it quite clear that the twenty nine year old had been shown merciful consideration by the jury. He said it merited a severe sentence and told Brogan that he would be transported for life. On 28th August 1835 Brogan arrived in Tasmania on board the Norfolk, accompanied by 281 other convicts.
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