A DUBLIN man agreed at the Central Criminal Court yesterday that he had told a series of lies about a stabbing incident which led to the death of a young disabled man in Balbriggan last year.
Mr Paul Carroll said he had made three statements to gardai in the course of their investigation into the fatal stabbing of Mr David Hammond at Pump Lane, Balbriggan, on April 27th, 1996.
He said there were several lies in the first two statements which were made on the date of the incident. In the third statement, made to gardai on May 14th 1996, and in his evidence to the court, he had told the truth, he said. Mr Carroll said he had witnessed the stabbing of Mr Hammond.
He said he was not lying about seeing the defendant, Mr Alan Rooney, withdraw a knife from his sleeve while in conversation with the witness and another man and say he was going to "kill someone".
He denied he was lying when he said he saw Mr Rooney make a stabbing motion in the direction of Mr Hammond and said he had seen Mr Rooney put the knife back up his sleeve.
Mr Carroll said he had told lies in his first two statements to gardai because he was nervous and because he knew that a friend of his, not the defendant, had given Mr Hammond two punches on the face after the stabbing.
Mr Carroll was being cross examined by Mr Anthony Sammon SC, defending, on the second day of the trial of Mr Rooney (28), of Curran Park, Balbriggan, Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Hammond (24), also of Curran Park, at Pump Lane in the town on April 27th, 1996.
Prosecuting counsel Ms Maureen Clark said Mr Hammond was pronounced dead after he was found with stab wounds on a green in Balbriggan early on the morning of April 27th last year.
Immediately after the stabbing incident, Mr Hammond was involved in a fight with another man who punched him twice on the face and left him on the ground, counsel said.
The State is contending Mr Rooney stabbed Mr Hammond after telling two other men he was going to kill or "do damage" to someone.
Mr Justice Carney directed Mr Carroll not to speak or associate with two other named men until the trial has concluded or he would be charged with contempt of court.
Mr John Browne told the court he was with Mr Carroll on Hampton Street in Balbriggan in the early hours of April 27th, 1996 when they met Mr Rooney. He said Mr Rooney seemed a bit nervous and said something about being down the town to do damage. Mr Rooney, he said, showed him a blade, about four inches long, which was up his sleeve.
He said he heard shouting and saw Mr Hammond and Mr Mark O'Reilly, who passed them heading up Pump Lane. He and Mr Carroll followed them.
He said Mr Rooney approached Mr Hammond and the two men started fighting. After a few minutes Mr Rooney walked away and a fight began between Mr Hammond and O'Reilly.
He saw Mr O'Reilly throw a number of punches to the head of Mr Hammond, say something to him and leave him.
Mr Browne said he walked over then to see if Mr Hammond was all right and saw a patch of blood on his shirt. He lifted his vest and saw a small wound on his upper chest. He shouted to the other men to get an ambulance.
Cross examined by Mr Sammon, Mr Browne agreed he had not seen Mr Rooney stab Mr Hammond.
The trial continues today before Mr Justice Carney and the jury.