A DUBLIN man has been convicted of cutting his friend’s throat with a pint glass in a row over a pint of beer. Luke Walsh was found guilty by a jury after a three- day trial during which he claimed he could not remember most of the incident but claimed Colin Doyle attacked him first.
The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday took under two hours to convict him.
Walsh (23), Broadfield Drive, Ballinteer, had pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Colin Doyle at the Rockfield Lounge, Dundrum on March 5th, 2009.
Judge Joseph Matthews remanded Walsh on continuing bail until sentencing in December and ordered a probation report.
Mr Doyle told the jury he thought he was going to die and that he has been left with a visible scar. “It happened out of the blue,” he said. “I was pretty much on my deathbed and had my family over me. It’s not something that should happen to anyone.”
He said Mr Walsh had been his best friend since school.
Mr Doyle told Monika Leech, prosecuting, that he met Walsh and other friends in the pub at about 10pm. He went outside for a cigarette and returned to find Walsh drinking his pint. Walsh told him to “f... off”.
He told Walsh to keep the pint and got another one for himself. Later he again found Walsh drinking his pint. When he confronted him again, he claims Walsh told him again to “f... off” and “put the glass into my neck and brought it down as far as my Adam’s apple.”
He said Walsh then hit him again. He started hitting him back and the two exchanged blows until bar staff broke them up.