Man wanted for Costco car park death admits manslaughter

A man named as wanted by the police following the death of a young father in Watford car park admitted to manslaughter yesterday (March 2). Michael McInerney, of no fixed address, was arrested in Corby in December for the murder of Prasanna ‘Nick’ Arulchelvam after detectives appealed for information about him. Mr Arulchelvam, 34, died on June 6 2013 in St Mary’s Hospital in London, 11 days after being attacked outside the Costco store in Hartspring Lane. At Luton crown court McInerney, 33,  appeared via a video link from Woodhill Prison, Milton Keynes. He pleaded not guilty to murder and not guilty to conspiracy to rob, however he pleaded guilty to alternative charges of manslaughter and conspiracy to steal. The pleas were accepted by John Price QC, for the prosecution. Judge Richard Foster remanded McInerney in custody. No date was fixed for a sentence. In October last year, cousins Patrick and James O’Driscoll were handed sentences of ten-and-a-half years and seven-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Aruchelvam. At the time of the sentence of the O’Driscolls, Detective Chief Inspector Ruth Dodsworth from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “Arulchelvam ‘Nick’ Prasanna was a caring, honest and hard – working family man. “His life was cut short by the actions of Patrick and James O’ Driscoll who, following the incident, drove off and left him suffering with injuries which resulted in him losing his life. Their actions have also resulted in his young son having to grow up without his father. “