A man on trial for manslaughter has told a jury he "threw a dig' and hit the deceased man to protect and defend himself in what was the biggest mistake of his life.
Mr Keith Hayes told Mr Martin Giblin SC, defending: "I am so sorry for what happened and for his family and all his friends even though they may not believe me. There is nothing I can do about it now."
Mr Hayes (24) of Aungier Street, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Joseph O'Toole (22) outside the Purty Loft Bar, Old Dun Leary Road, Dun Laoghaire, on July 2627th, 1998. He said he asked Mr O'Toole for directions to a nearby Esso garage but he didn't answer and just stared back at him.
He asked again and inquired as to why he was staring and said he thought Mr O'Toole was in "bad humour". Mr Hayes said Mr O'Toole walked over to him and raised his right hand and he reacted and "threw a dig".
He told Mr Giblin that he struck him once to defend himself; if he had known Mr O'Toole had been hurt he would have stopped instead of walking away. He added he was very drunk. He said he told a friend who worked at a nearby building site he was "in a scuffle" and it was "over so quick". Mr Giblin was told that a few days later this friend arrived at his home and showed him a newspaper clipping seeking information about the assault. Mr Hayes said he searched the teletext on television for more information.
"I was very scared, my nerves were hung. I wanted to hand myself in but wanted to talk with a solicitor," he said. Asked why he went to Dun Laoghaire Garda station, he replied: "I felt guilty. I didn't want it on my conscience."
The trial continues.