A JURY has heard a Wicklow man accused of killing his friend with a rock twice told gardaí, “I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Thomas O’Connor (23), of Burnaby Heights, Greystones, is accused of murdering John O’Brien of Burnaby Lawns on June 4th, 2010. Mr O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to committing the offence at Farrankelly Road, Delgany, Co Wicklow.
Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, for the prosecution, said Mr O’Brien died after he was hit on the head repeatedly with a rock. He told the jury when the accused was initially charged with assault causing serious harm, the 23-year-old replied: “I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Mr Buckley said when this charge was later withdrawn and a charge of murder was put to him instead, Mr O’Connor again replied: “I didn’t mean to kill him.”
He told the jury they would hear evidence from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis that the deceased died from head injuries as a result of blunt force trauma.
He said the jury would be satisfied the accused killed the deceased, but the question was “whether it amounts to murder”.
Ashley Carroll, who stopped at the scene of the incident at about 11.45pm, told the court she was shocked by how calm Mr O’Connor was when he referred to the person lying on the ground, saying: “That’s John down there”. Ms Carroll who said she knew the accused “for years”, said she was shocked as she knew they were friends.
Lawyers for Mr O’Connor made admissions of their client hitting Mr O’Brien with a rock.
The trial continues before a jury of six men and six women presided over by Mr Justice Barry White.