A man and a woman from Co Louth have gone on trial for the murder of 29-year-old Darren McKeown from Donore, Co Meath, in December 2007.
Michael Cruise, 19, from Donore Avenue, Ballsgrove, Drogheda, and Louise Wall from Cranmore, Clogherhead, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr McKeown at Rowan Heights, Rathmullen in Drogheda.
They also deny a charge of violent disorder.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Senior Counsel Sean Gillane told the jury that Darren McKeown died after a ‘sustained and vicious attack' after attending a party on Christmas Day at a house at Rowan Heights.
He said the incident followed a day of very heavy drinking at a house in Rowan Heights by a number of people including Mr McKeown.
He said Mr McKeown had a long-standing friendship with one of the residents of Rowan Heights, Ms Leanne Keenan, who had recently been in a relationship with his brother.
They argued about the break-up of the relationship with his brother and Mr McKeown became ‘the centre of attention from a number of people’ who were at the party.
He was later subjected to a vicious attack during which he sustained kicks to the head and torso as he lay on the ground. The attack took place in the kitchen of a house, outside on a green and again in the house.
He was eventually left on the driveway of the house bleeding and never recovered. He died two days later in hospital from head injuries.
A garda investigation followed and Michael Cruise and Louise Wall were charged with murder along with another man who is now deceased. Three other men were charged with violent disorder.
Both Michael Cruise and Louise Wall deny the charges. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
