The trial of a 35-year-old man accused of murdering John O'Connor in New Ross, Co Wexford on New Year’s Eve 2024 has heard that he left the scene as he had panicked and knew the "guards would pin it on me."
Wayne Roche, previously of Dominic’s Place in Waterford city, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr O’Connor on 31 December 2024.
The trial is continuing before a jury of four men and eight women at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford.
The accused had been in a relationship with Mr O’Connor’s daughter at the time the alleged offence occurred.
The court heard that the couple had just learned they were expecting a child.
Mr Roche and Mr O’Connor had been celebrating this fact at the latter’s flat in the Cluain Fada housing estate in New Ross on the night of 30 December.
A third man, Michael Bancewicz, who had been staying at Mr O’Connor’s flat at the time, was also drinking with the two men.
'It was going very wrong'
Mr Bancewicz previously told the court that the accused had begun acting "aggressively" on the night in question.
He said Mr Roche returned from the kitchen with a knife and stabbed himself in the leg before spreading the blood on his face "like in Braveheart".
Giving evidence, Mr Bancewicz said he subsequently left the property after Mr Roche started hitting and punching him as he thought "it was going very wrong".
The court heard that on the morning of 31 December 2024, Mr O’Connor was found covered in blood on the floor of his one-bed first-floor apartment by his daughter, who called the emergency services.
Mr O’Connor, who was 58, was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.
Dean Kelly SC for the prosecution previously told the court that it is the State’s case that at some point between 30 and 31 December, "not observed by any other person," the accused "violently assaulted" Mr O’Connor.
After he was arrested in New Ross town centre in connection with Mr O’Connor’s death, the accused was taken to University Hospital Waterford for medical attention.
The court heard that Mr Roche initially refused to receive any treatment for his injuries and shouted abuse at gardaí, security staff and medical personnel.
Distressed and agitated
Dr Tadgh Moriarty gave evidence today that he was the duty consultant on call and when he came on shift, Mr Roche was already present at the hospital’s emergency department.
Dr Moriarty said the accused was in a "distressed and agitated state" and informed him that he was a regular benzodiazepine user.
After a self-inflicted wound was closed, Mr Roche later began pulling out the sutures resulting in metallic staples having to be used.
Dr Moriarty said after Mr Roche had received treatment and pain relief, a discharge letter was prepared for gardaí.
The doctor said he took a "conservative" approach and recommended that the accused not be interviewed by gardaí for a 12-hour period to give time for the effects of the medication to have worn off.
The court later heard evidence about each of the five garda interviews that were conducted with Mr Roche over the course of 1 January and the morning of the following day.
In the interviews, Mr Roche said he did not know what had happened to Mr O’Connor and he had panicked when he found him on the floor of his apartment.
A split-second decision
When asked why he had not raised the alarm, the accused told the interviewing gardaí that he could not find his phone and he had called to neighbouring houses but as there was no answer, he wanted to get a taxi to bring Mr O’Connor to hospital.
He said he "just knew the guards would pin it on me" and he made a "stupid split-second decision" but he had tried to get help for Mr O’Connor.
The court heard he told gardaí he was always welcome at Mr O’Connor’s home and he said the only thing did wrong was not get him an ambulance.
Earlier today, Detective Garda David Beale of Wexford Garda Station, who specialises in retrieving and analysing mobile phone data, gave evidence about two voice notes that had been recovered from one of Mr Roche’s messaging apps.
One voice message that was played for the jury in court was sent to Mr Roche’s mother on the night of 30 December.
In the message, the accused described Mr O’Connor as a "lovely man" and said the pair were "catching up".
Detective Garda Beale agreed with John Byrne SC for the defence that in the second voice message, Mr Roche was calling on someone in an "explicit way" to pay rent to Mr O’Connor and return a games console to the property.
The trial before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath continues at Waterford Courthouse on Tuesday when the jury is expected to hear closing arguments.
