A MAN AND woman from Co Louth have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of murdering Darren McKeown in Drogheda in December 2007.
Michael Cruise (19), Donore Avenue, Ballsgrove, Drogheda, and Louise Wall (21), Cranmore, Clogherhead, have both pleaded not guilty to the murder.
Mr McKeown (29), who was from Donore, Co Meath, died in Beaumont Hospital on December 29th, 2007, after an alleged assault at a party in the Rowan Heights estate, Drogheda, in the hours between Christmas Day and Stephen’s Day. He never regained consciousness after the alleged incident and died three days later.
Mr Cruise and Ms Wall have also denied a second count of violent disorder.
Opening the case, Seán Gillane, prosecuting, told the jury that the case was one of alleged joint enterprise or common design.
The jury was told that it would hear eyewitness evidence from a number of people who were at the party.
The trial resumes this morning before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.