A 34-year-old man has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork accused of the murder of a man he told gardaí had broken into his home.
Timothy O'Driscoll of No 12, St Rita's Avenue, Gurranabraher in Cork City denies the murder of 25-year-old Lee McCarthy at that address in April of last year.
Lee McCarthy's body was found in a shed at the rear of the premises by members of the emergency services and gardai after they received a number of calls at around 6am on 17 April, 2010.
At the central criminal court sitting in Cork today, 34 year old Mr O'Driscoll denied murdering Lee McCarthy at his home.
Outlining the prosecution's case, Brendan Grehan, SC, told the court Mr O'Driscoll told gardaí in a statement that he was awoken by his mother screaming and found a stranger in her bedroom upstairs.
Mr O'Driscoll said he grabbed him by the neck, threw him down the stairs, and that the Mr McCarthy pulled a knife on him, as he dragged him out of the house, locking him in a shed.
Mr O'Driscoll said he then blacked out because he suffers from mental disorders.
Mr Grehan told the jury of six men and six woman that they will hear evidence from a very important witness, Stephen Monaghan, who will claim he was with the defendant and the deceased on the night and that Mr O'Driscoll allegedly had become agitated and attacked Mr McCarthy, before he, Monaghan left.
Mr Grehan also told the jury they will hear evidence from the Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster that the deceased had been stabbed at least six times, twice fatally in the neck.
Dr Bolster would also give evidence that Mr. McCarthy suffered a blunt force injury to his neck, as well as multiple other injuries including bruises, lacerations, and abrasions to the back, in keeping, she will say, with being dragged on the ground.
The case, before Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, is expected to last at least two weeks.
