A man on trial for murder was allegedly threatened and attacked by a second man, a convicted criminal in Lithuania, who survived the stabbing, the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Valerij Makarov (25), also known as Andris Simonis, Earlsfort Drive, Lucan, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Tomas Lukosevicious (30), on May 11th, 2003 in Lucan.
The accused has also pleaded not guilty to causing intentional or reckless harm to Mr Aldevinias Gudavicius (34) and to threatening to harm Mr Jonas Bernotas (21), on the same date in Lucan.
Mr Gudavicius said he went to the accused's home on the night of May 11th, 2003 to have a "friendly discussion" about a payment allegedly promised to his friend, Mr Bernotas, for the procurement of a job. Mr Gudavicius said the accused "didn't say hello or anything, he just attacked me".
Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, defending, suggested that the reason Mr Makarov did not greet Mr Gudavicius was because "you ran down the corridor, you ran down the kitchen, knocked Makarov down against a counter and punched him.
"When Makarov was against the counter he reached into a drawer and took out a knife," he added.
Mr Gudavicius told the court that he did not agree and that it was defence counsel's "right to suggest that".
Mr Hartnett told the court that a number of phone calls made from Mr Gudavicius's phone to the accused included threats to Mr Makarov's "car, his own safety and the safety of his family". Only hours before the fatal stabbing, Mr Makarov was told in one of the calls that "things would happen if he didn't pay the money", according to Mr Hartnett.
"I didn't do it," Mr Gudavicius replied.
Mr Hartnett told the court that the same man who went to Mr Makarov's house as a "mediator" for his friends was a convicted criminal in Lithuania, who had served a prison sentence from 1996 to 2000.
Mr Gudavicius had been convicted of car theft, having explosive substances and having drugs. Mr Hartnett told the court that, according to Interpol, he was also convicted of the extortion of property, which Mr Gudavicius disputed.
"I am a working man now, I have put my past behind me," Mr Gudavicius said through his interpreter.
The trial continues today before Mr Justice White.