THE SISTER of a man charged with murdering a 16-year-old Ukrainian boy told gardaí she saw her brother stab the victim "four or five times", a trial heard yesterday.
The evidence was heard at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick, where John O'Loughlin (21), Cecil Street, Limerick, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Roman Vysochan at Carrig Midhe, Corbally, on May 10th, 2008.
Mr O'Loughlin has pleaded guilty to assaulting another teenager, who was then 15, on the same date.
Yesterday the jury heard evidence of a statement given to gardaí by John O'Loughlin's sister, Gillian (20), who was dating Mr Vysochan. In it, Ms O'Loughlin told gardaí she saw her brother on top of the 16-year-old on a bed. "I saw him stabbing Roman about four or five times," she said.
Yesterday Ms O'Loughlin said she could not clearly recall that night as she had smoked cannabis.
Earlier yesterday, the jury heard evidence from the teenage boy, now 17, who was also stabbed on the night. The witness identified Mr O'Loughlin as the person who stuck a knife in his leg. The teenager said he was in a bedroom with Mr Vysochan, Ms O'Loughlin and a teenage girl. The witness said he ran out of the house, and Mr Vysochan came out holding his stomach. "There was blood on his stomach, I didn't know what happened to him," he said.
Under cross-examination by Anthony Sammon, for Mr O'Loughlin, the witness accepted he gave a garda a different version of events on the night. "I'm telling the truth now," he said.
The trial against Mr O'Loughlin's co-accused, Anthony Mason (18), Bishop Street, Limerick, was yesterday adjourned to a later date. Mr Justice Paul Carney said that for legal reasons, Mr Mason, who denies the murder of Mr Vysochan, is to be tried separately from Mr O'Loughlin.