Relatives of a man stabbed to death outside a Limerick pub two years ago wept in court yesterday when a jury was shown video footage of the hours leading up to his death.
Martin O'Donoghue, a father of four, died following an incident outside The Pub on Broad Street on August 9th, 2004.
Derek McNamara (39), St Ita's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to his murder. The court is sitting in Limerick.
On the first day of the trial yesterday, the jury was told that Mr McNamara was part of a "common design" which resulted in the death of Mr O'Donoghue.
Patrick McCarthy SC, prosecuting, said Mr O'Donoghue was assaulted by Mr McNamara outside The Pub bar. Mr O'Donoghue was running away from the scene when he was pursued by Mr McNamara and another man named in court who then stabbed him.
The jurors were told they would be shown video footage of a telephone conversation made by Mr McNamara to this individual during which a reference was made to "bringing knives".
Mr McCarthy said they would hear evidence from an eyewitness who would describe Mr McNamara's "calm demeanour" while the fatal stabbing took place.
The court heard how the knife used to kill Mr O'Donoghue was found by gardaí in a hedge in an area known as Brian Merriman's Place.
A number of wheelie bins located in nearby Clare Street were seized by gardaí, one of which contained a bloodstained hoodie worn by the individual who carried out the stabbing. The bin itself had Mr McNamara's blood on it which would allow the jury to infer, Mr McCarthy said, that he was part of the "common design".
A garda told the trial that four hours of CCTV footage taken from the cameras at The Pub were seized by gardaí on the night of the murder.
The trial, which is expected to last for two weeks, continues today before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury.