Prosecution finishes giving evidence in trial of three men accused of murder
The prosecution has finished giving evidence in the case of three men accused of murdering a 64-year-old at his home.
Matthew Cummins (aged 22) of Churchview Heights, Edenderry, Co Offaly, Sean Davy (aged 21) of Clonmullen Drive, Edenderry, Co Offaly and James Davy (aged 25) of Thornhill Meadows, Celbridge, Co Kildare have all pleaded not guilty to murdering 64-year-old Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley at his home in Sr Senan Court, Edenderry, Co Offaly on February 12, 2014.
Today prosecuting counsel Patrick Treacy SC told the jury that the evidence has ended and he will begin his summary of the trial tomorrow.
The legal representatives for all three accused said they will not be calling any further witnesses.
On the final day of evidence the jury heard from interviews given by one of the accused, James Davy, to gardaí in February and June 2014.
Det Garda Joseph Bradley said that in February Mr Davy told gardaí that it was Matthew Cummins' idea to go to Mr Dooley's house that night.
He said they had all been drinking and had taken a white powder drug that comes from "head shops".
He said that Matthew Cummins had climbed in a window of Mr Dooley's house and then let the other two in through another window.
When they got inside he said Mr Dooley drank with them for a time but then Sean Davy claimed the 64-year-old had raped one of his relatives and hit him on the head with a baseball bat.
He told gardaí that the baseball bat belonged to him, James Davy, and he carried it with him for protection.
He had been attacked the last time he came to Edenderry and brought the bat in case he was attacked again.
He said he did not intend to use the bat on Mr Dooley and had never intended to attack Mr Dooley. In an interview on June 10 he said Sean Davy was the only person to strike Mr Dooley with the bat but that Mr Cummins kicked the deceased.
"He just kicked him," he said. "It was not very hard like."
He said the attack seemed like it was in "slow motion" and that he told his cousin, Sean Davy, to stop.
The trial will continue on Thursday in front of a jury and Justice Margaret Heneghan.
