A self-confessed drug dealer has told a murder trial jury the defendant told him he had left his [defendant's] son lying in a field with the dead body to make it look like a revenge killing.
Mr Christopher Curry told the Central Criminal Court Mr Joseph Delaney said "it was the hardest thing I ever had to do".
He was giving evidence on the second day of the murder trial of Mr Delaney (54), formerly of La Rochelle, Naas, Co Kildare, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Mark Dwyer (23) on or about December 14th, 1996.
Mr Delaney has also pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Dwyer and detaining him against his will at Foster Terrace, Ballybough, Dublin, on December 14th, 1996.
The jury has been told the defendant's son, Scott Delaney, is currently serving a life sentence for Mr Dwyer's murder and would be giving prosecution evidence against his father.
Mr Curry, of Ballyogan Drive, Leopardstown, Co Dublin, said Mr Joseph Delaney had allegedly summoned a number of named people, including his own son, Scott Delaney, to attend a meeting at his home in La Rochelle, Naas, Co Kildare.
He told the court that at the meeting Mr Joseph Delaney had threatened to kill whoever stole 40,000 ecstasy tablets from him.
Mr Curry said that at a meeting at Mr Delaney's home, the defendant was "stressed out" that he had lost a "big parcel" of drugs and that he "didn't care what lengths he had to go to get them back".
"He said he'd kill them," Mr Curry said. "He was adamant and didn't care." The drugs were his "last piece of work and if he didn't get them back he would be bankrupt". The drugs, with an estimated street value of between £300,000 and £400,000, were stolen during a pre-arranged drop at a pub in Dublin.
"He had just been ripped off, and whoever had stolen the drugs might try to murder him so no one would come after him," Mr Curry said. "He wanted protection and requested all of us to get him a handgun."
Shortly after the body of the deceased was found lying in a field in Scribblestown Lane, Dublin, Mr Curry said he received a telephone call from the defendant.
Mr Curry said the defendant asked him: "I suppose you've heard the news? It's all over."
Mr Curry alleged the defendant then said: "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, to leave Scott lying in the field. It's to throw the scent off myself and throw it onto the [a named family] for [another man's] murder. The little bastard didn't even talk."
Mr Curry told the court he had been "embroiled with Joe right up to the neck" in his drug-selling business to "make money".
"From I got out of prison to Mark's murder I was heavily involved in drugs, selling drugs, taking drugs."
The murder of Mr Dwyer "made me change", Mr Curry told the court.
After being arrested in connection with Mr Dwyer's murder and while in Garda custody, Mr Curry said it was "safer" to make a statement to the gardai.
"What if six months down the road Joe got it in his head I did something and he killed me?" he said.
"Either way I was on a loser. If I did make a statement I'd be murdered. If I didn't make a statement and Joe walked I could be murdered."
He said he was "highly involved" in the drugs business and had "no qualms about it, but when it comes to murdering someone, in the criminal underworld everyone knows about it".
The case before Mr Justice Quirke and a jury continues today.