A FATHER of six would not have been fatally stabbed if he had not brandished a knife in the moments leading up to his death, a murder trial heard yesterday. Christopher Cawley (33) died of multiple stab wounds following an assault at the stairwell of a block of flats at Tyrone Place, Inchicore, Dublin, on October 29th, 2006.
Brothers Warren (34) and Jeffrey Dumbrell (28), of Emmet Road, Inchicore, have pleaded not guilty to his murder. Warren Dumbrell also pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Mr Cawley’s wife, Janet.
Jeffrey Dumbrell told the Central Criminal Court there was supposed to be a fight between his brother Thomas and Mr Cawley on the night of Mr Cawley’s death, and he and Warren had a hurley to ensure Thomas, who he said is “slow”, was not jumped on by more than one person.
He said Mr Cawley was in possession of a knife and ran away when he saw the hurley. Mr Dumbrell said a chase ensued and Mr Cawley fell and jumped up at his brother Warren holding a knife, which was then knocked from his hand using the hurley.
Jeffrey Dumbrell said he picked up the knife and stabbed Mr Cawley “once or twice” in a struggle. “I went for his legs, I didn’t want to kill him.”
Jeffrey Dumbrell said learning Mr Cawley had died was “the worst thing I have ever heard in my life” and that he had meant to “hurt him at most”. “If he hadn’t of produced the knife none of this would have happened,” he said.
In his closing submission to the jury, Mr Burns said both Dumbrell brothers intended to cause serious harm, if not to kill, Mr Cawley.
Warren Dumbrell’s representative, Martin Giblin, said inconsistencies in the trial evidence created reasonable doubt about the events on the night of Mr Cawley’s death.
The trial continues.