THE EX-GIRLFRIEND of a Cork man who was fatally wounded in a stabbing found him lying in his blood on a street not far from his home, a court heard yesterday.
Ciara Delaney saw the father of one of her two children, Brian McKee (24), being chased by two men, one of whom was armed with a broken bottle, before he fell and was attacked as he lay on the ground.
Jason Quinlan (29), of Loughmahon Drive, Mahon, Cork, and John Brett (25), of Leitrim Street, Cork, have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr McKee on August 25th, 2007, at Ballinure Avenue, Mahon.
Speaking on the second day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork yesterday, Ms Delaney said she had been going out with Mr McKee for nine years and they had one child together.
The couple had broken up about six months before the night of August 25th, 2007, but became involved in a row after she went to a party at Myrtleville beach.
Ms Delaney said she had been drinking in the Lakelands pub in Mahon earlier that night. She and her friend, Amanda Collins, went to a store to buy drink before getting a lift to the beach party. They got a lift back to the Mahon area in the early hours of the morning, and at 4.15am Mr McKee rang her and asked her over to the house of his friend, Ray Keating, for drinks.
She said an argument broke out between the couple in the Keating house and they were asked to leave.
Ms Delaney said the couple left the house and the row continued outside. Her sister, Rebecca, who was pregnant with Mr Quinlan's child at the time, started shouting at Mr McKee. Rebecca's boyfriend, Mr Quinlan (known as Quinny), threw a punch at Mr McKee, and there was a scuffle between them but Mr Keating separated them.
A group including the Delaney sisters and Mr Quinlan started walking away down a field.
"Quinny grabbed the bottle out of my hand, smashed it off the wall, and ran back after Brian up the field. Brian ran into Ray Keating's house," Ms Delaney said.
A short time later, she saw Mr Quinlan walk by her, followed by John Brett. She could not see their hands, but said Mr Brett's hands were "bulged".
Ms Delaney said: "Pat Bradley shouted: 'Brian, run, they have knives'." Mr Brett kicked Mr Bradley to the ground, and said: "if you come up, you'll get it too". She said the two men chased Mr McKee up the road where he slipped. "Quinny went down on top of him and then John Brett went down on top of him."
Ms Delaney said a girl coming down the hill told her Brian was lying up there in his own blood. She ran for his parents while Amanda Collins waited with Brian.
The trial continues today.