A row that broke out after a Limerick man refused to give an 18-year-old a lift to get something to eat, culminated in the man being stabbed to death by the 18-year-old, the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
At the murder trial in Ennis where the Central Criminal Court is sitting for the first time, Mr John Edwards SC, told the jury that considerable force was used by Mr David McInerney of Smith O'Brien Avenue, Limerick, in stabbing Mr Charlie Craig five times.
Mr David McInerney denies the murder, but pleads guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Craig on February 21st last at Smith O'Brien Avenue, Limerick.
The jury of eight men and four women was told that in an effort to stop the row between the two men, Mr McInerney was locked into the family home by his mother, but he escaped by climbing out a bedroom window armed with a kitchen knife to stab Mr Craig five times outside the McInerney home. Opening the prosecution case, Mr Edwards said that such was the force used by Mr McInerney that the knife broke at the hilt.
Mr Edwards told the jury that Mr McInerney first approached Mr Craig shortly after 2.30 a.m. and asked him to give him a lift into town for something to eat.
The prosecuting counsel said that after Mr Craig said he would not bring Mr McInerney into town, the accused kicked a car door.
Mr Edwards said words were exchanged and Mr McInerney punched Mr Craig before running away.
Mr Edwards said that Mr Craig decided to pursue Mr McInerney and pulled up outside Mr McInerney's house. Counsel said that Mr McInerney approached Mr Craig's car and broke a window. Counsel said that Mr McInerney then armed himself with a kitchen knife in the home and climbed out his bedroom window to re-engage with Mr Craig.