Murder trial of father-of-four begins
The trial of a 50-year-old father-of-four accused of stabbing a HIV-positive man to death as he lay in his hospital bed began today at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Patrick Gilraine (otherwise known as Kilraine) of Basin St flats, Dublin 8 has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Kevin Dowler (52) at St James’s Hospital, Dublin on 7 February, 2000.
Opening the prosecution’s case, Mr Shane Murphy SC told the jury that the accused attacked Mr Dowler because he was concerned that if he was released from hospital he “might pose a threat to a child or children in the Basin Street flats area”.
The victim was homosexual and Mr Gilraine alleged he was a paedophile who “used to shag 14 or 15 year olds”. He told gardai he stabbed Mr Dowler “to save other kids”.
The two men knew each other socially as they both lived in the Basin Street flats area of Dublin 8, although Gilraine is a native of Arigna, Co Roscommon.
Dr Sean Curran, who specialises in infectious diseases, gave evidence that Mr Dowler suffered from HIV. However, at the time of his death he was being treated for a “deep personal wound” which had required him to spend 10 weeks in hospital to have plastic surgery and skin grafts.
The court heard that the accused visited Mr Dowler on the afternoon of February 7 and expressed his concerns about his release to a social worker at the hospital. He later returned and confronted the patient in his hospital bed, stabbing him seven times.
Stuart Firmin, a security guard at the hospital gave evidence that when he confronting Mr Gilraine as he tried to flee the hospital grounds he said “I did it, I stabbed him”.
“I asked him why he stabbed him and he said he was a paedophile,” Mr Firmin said.
Det Insp Michael O’Sullivan told the court that following his arrest the accused told gardai was sorry but that he “had to do it”.
“He was only waiting to come out and go up to the park and ride young lads”.
The accused was particularly concerned that Mr Dowler had been watching a particular local boy growing up.
“He used to give him sweets, I just couldn’t stand it anymore,” he said. “Every time I discussed it with him…he said it disgusted him, but he still did it,” he continued.
“I just wanted to threaten him, I told him to stay away from young boys,” he said. “I stabbed him to keep him in hospital, I was annoyed that he would not leave young people alone…I knew he would not stop,” he later said.
The trial continues tomorrow before a jury and Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins.
