Three prosecution witnesses in a Limerick murder trial were taken into custody today after they claimed they had memory problems.
Two of the witnesses were told by Mr Justice Paul Carney that they would receive brain scans and whatever medical assistance the State considered necessary to help cure them.
The three men were witnesses in the trial of 19-year-old Liam Keane from Ballysimon in Limerick. He denies the murder of Eric Leamy, who was stabbed in Limerick in August 2001.
A number of state witnesses failed to confirm their statements when called before the court.
David Murphy, James Price and a third witness spent some hours in custody.
Mr Murphy, when approaching the stand, shouted 'I seen nothing, I heard nothing, I'm answering no questions'.
James Price claimed he had memory problems because of tablets he had bought on the street.
Later, Amanda McNamara, whose statement said she was with the victim as he lay dying, denied that in court and said she could not remember what happened that night because she had been drinking and had taken ecstasy.
Mr Justice released the three later, and allowed the prosecution to treat two of them as hostile witnesses.
But he warned David Murphy he would have to return to take the stand.
After Ms McNamara, a further witness, who went to school with the victim, said he too could not remember details of that night.
Mr Justice Carney said he would deal with that matter in the morning.
