A scotsman was jailed for life yesterday at the Central Criminal Court after being found guilty of murdering a man at a new age traveller campsite.
The jury took almost seven hours to find John James Kelly (38), guilty of murdering Mr Chris Cybulla (42), at The Commons, Curreeny, Kilcommon, Co Tipperary, on December 28th, 1999.
Mr Cybulla, from England, was stabbed four times in the chest during a confrontation with Kelly following a minor traffic accident.
Thanking the jury for their service, Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins released them before imposing the mandatory life sentence. After being sentenced, Kelly nodded before being taken away by prison guards.
During the five-day trial the court heard that Kelly told gardaí that the row arose from a "clash of egos" between the two men.
Kelly admitted he confronted Mr Cybulla with a stick and knife but claimed he stabbed him in self-defence because he believed the Mr Cybulla was going to "slash" him with a sword-like knife.
In his evidence he said he was "incredulous" when Mr Cybulla crashed into him, "I couldn't believe he'd done such a thing. I was angry at his arrogance.
"I knew things might go bad for me and I wanted to protect myself. If he'd had got that knife out to me I wouldn't be here today," he said.
Witnesses gave evidence that Mr Cybulla made knives and had one particular "jewel in the crown" with a large blade. This knife was not recovered by gardaí.
The State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, gave evidence that two of four wounds inflicted on Mr Cybulla were fatal and concluded that death was due to "bleeding into the left side of the chest from two stab wounds into the left lung".
Mr Kelly told gardaí that he and Mr Cybulla had never got on well during the time they lived in the campsite. "I did not like his ego, he portrayed himself as being a big man," he said.
He said he never had a confrontation with him prior to this occasion but he was certain Mr Cybulla had deliberately driven into his car.
"He had a sarcastic grin on his face, he swerved towards my car and aimed for the door," he said.
"I was pissed off with Chris, I have no doubt that his driving into the car was deliberate," he said, although he described what he did as "stupid". "I still think it was the right decision at the time."
The court refused leave to appeal.