A YOUNG man cried and said he wanted to join his dead mother shortly after he stabbed another man with scissors, the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Ms Iris McNamara said she spoke to her brother Nigel at their father's home in Limerick city on May 1st, 1995. Her brother had said another man had started beating him up earlier and he had "jabbed" that man with scissors, Ms McNamara said. He had said he did it in self-defence and to protect himself. He had not meant it to happen.
Ms McNamara said her brother was in shock and very upset and was saying he wanted to be with their mother who had died two weeks earlier.
She was giving evidence on the opening day of the trial of Mr McNamara (19), of O'Malley Park, South Hill, Limerick, who has denied the murder of Mr Gerard Power (36), also of O'Malley Park, in Limerick on May 1st, 1995.
Initially, Mr McNamara pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Power, but admitted manslaughter. The State rejected the plea.
In court yesterday Mr David Kelly told Mr Michael McMahon SC, prosecuting, that he was drinking in a bar with Mr McNamara on April 30th, 1995, and after closing time they had gone to O'Malley Park with some cans of drink.
While there he saw Gerard Power and Ms Caroline O'Callaghan arguing with another woman, and Mr McNamara's name was mentioned, the witness said. The accused had asked why his name was mentioned.
Mr Kelly said Mr Power had fought with Mr McNamara and himself (witness). The fight went on for about 10 minutes and then stopped.
Mr Kelly said he and Mr Power then shook hands. He said Mr McNamara went across to his father's house after the fight had stopped. Mr Kelly said Mr McNamara came out of the house and ran past him with something in his hand. He asked Mr McNamara to go back into the house and the accused man's brother made a similar request.
Mr Kelly said Mr McNamara went in Mr Power's direction and he saw him hitting Mr Power, who fell to the ground. He went over to Mr Power, put his T-shirt against his head and placed his finger against the man's neck, which was bleeding.
Cross-examined by Mr Diarmuid McGuinness, defending, the witness agreed his recollection of events was not great because of the alcohol he had consumed. He agreed he must have been behind Mr McNamara when the accused hit Mr Power.
During yesterday's hearing Mr McGuinness made several admissions on behalf of his client. These included an admission that Mr Power died as a result of a blow inflicted by Mr McNamara and that the accused was subsequently lawfully detained by gardai. He further admitted that Mr Power died from shock and haemhorrage as a result of a single stab wound in his neck.
Del Garda Eamon O'Neill told the court that Mr McNamara had made a statement to gardai on May 1st, 1995, in which he admitted swiping at Mr Power with scissors after a fight.
The trial continues today before Mrs Justice McGuinness and a jury.