The trial of a Dublin man accused of murder has heard he took a knife and a baton from his home to frighten off three men he met on the street near his home.
22-year-old Dane Pearse of Londonbridge Drive, Irishtown, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Mark Spellman at Londonbridge Road, Irishtown, on 4 August 2007.
Lawyers for Mr Pearse told the Central Criminal Court that after being kicked in the chest by Mr Spellman, he ran home and did something 'he would regret for the rest of his life'.
Diarmaid McGuinness said his client had taken an ornamental knife and a baton to defend himself.
However a friend of Mr Spellman said he could not see how that could be called defending himself.
Oisin Hoctor denied that during the second encounter Mr Spellman and another friend had run at Mr Pearse. He said it was absolutely incorrect.
In cross-examination Mr Hoctor was asked about some details that were not in his garda statement. He told defence counsel: 'It was a statement taken at four in the morning. My friend had just died. I wasn't in the best of shape.'
26-year-old Mr Spellman died from stab wounds received during a struggle with Mr Pearse.
The court heard that Mr Pearse also received a serious wound to his left arm.
Mr Spellman, who worked with Google, had been out for the night with work colleagues and was returning home when he encountered Mr Pearse.
