A Dublin man who stabbed a neighbour to death after trying to steal his car lost his appeal against his conviction for murder yesterday.
The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the case taken by Darren Rogers (22) Elmdale Park, Ballyfermot, against his conviction in February last year for the murder of Thomas Farrell, Cherry Orchard Avenue, Ballyfermot, on November 27th, 2003.
Rogers later went to the local Garda station and admitted to stabbing Mr Farrell in the lower back, saying: "I didn't even think I caught him proper."
During the two-week trial at the Central Criminal Court, the jury heard Mr Farrell had found the accused and another man trying to steal his car from his driveway on November 26th, 2003.
An argument followed and Rogers claimed the deceased was "throwing slaps" at him before going back into his house to get a hammer. Rogers followed him into his hallway and stabbed him in front of his partner and children.
The jury heard that Rogers was living in his parents' shed, having been thrown out of their house due to his drinking problem at the time of the murder.
On the day Mr Farrell was stabbed to death, Rogers said he had been drinking lager and whiskey for about six hours. He insisted it was his first day ever to try spirits.
He described the stabbing as an accident: "I just went out to rob a car that night. That was it. I never intended to murder anyone."
Dismissing the appeal yesterday, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, presiding at the three judge court, said that the court was satisifed that the conviction was safe.