Victim derided man's handicapped child, court hears

A Bray man who died in a fatal stabbing incident in a pub in the town six years ago was slagging the man accused of his murder…

A Bray man who died in a fatal stabbing incident in a pub in the town six years ago was slagging the man accused of his murder about his Down's Syndrome baby daughter on the night of the attack, a witness has claimed.

The Central Criminal Court has heard that Mr Richard O'Carroll, on trial for the murder of Keith Fortune, had a baby daughter with Down's Syndrome at the time of killing.

The accused man's former partner, Ms Stephanie Carroll told the jury Mr Fortune asked him "how the mongo was" referring to their baby daughter on the night of the fatal stabbing.

Mr O'Carroll (33) with addresses at Greenpark Road, Bray, Co Wicklow and Cois Sleibhe, Southern Cross Road, Bray has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Keith Fortune (27) of Hazelwood Upper, Dargle Road, Bray.

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Mr Fortune allegedly died as a result of an incident at the "William Dargan Inn", Goldsmith Terrace, on Quinsboro Road in Bray in the early hours of May 2nd 1999.

He was in the company of family celebrating the christening of a child earlier that day.

Ms Carroll told the jury that shortly after midnight the deceased man "nodded to Richie to go out side" the pub.

Ms Carroll understood this to mean that the deceased man wanted to fight with her partner.

Ms Carroll said the accused man followed Mr Fortune outside after a few minutes. "I could see them fighting through the glass door of the pub", she told the jury.

When Ms Carroll went outside to the fight she managed successfully to stop the fight, pulling the two men apart from each other. Mr Fortune, she said put his hand to his stomach.

As Ms Carroll turned around to her former partner she saw him holding a knife in his left hand. Mr O'Carroll, she said was saying, "Oh my god, Oh my god".

"I asked Richie what the fuck did you do that for and he said, 'I don't know' ", Ms Carroll said.

Former State Pathologist, Professor John Harbison told the jury Mr Fortune's death was a result of "shock and haemorrage due to the accumulation of blood in the chest and abdomen due to stab wounds to the heart, left lung and liver".

Prof Harbison said the deceased man was stabbed four times in the chest with one wound having "multiple thrusts". "The person wielding the knife stabbed then withdrew the knife but not completely and then stabbed again. This indicated a close combat", Prof Harbison said.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne at the Central Criminal Court.