Murder accused arms himself with two knives, court hears
A Co Tipperary man on trial for the murder of one of his friends following a row over a battered sausage armed himself with two knives and told his girlfriend "there will be damage done tonight", a murder trial jury heard today.
At the Central Criminal Court Ciara Gater gave evidence that she was going out with Charlie Maher on the night he had a row outside a takeaway with one of his friend’s John Paul Ryan over a battered sausage.
She said she was not present during this row, but was lying down in bed in Mr Maher’s house later in the evening when she heard someone come into the house and then leave again. She heard someone come in a second time and went into the kitchen where she met Charlie Maher.
"He had blood on his face, he picked up two knives," she said. She asked if there had been trouble and said Mr Maher replied, "nothing yet, but there will be damage done tonight".
She told the court that outside the house Mr Maher met John Paul Ryan and continued, "I did not see Charlie stab him, he didn’t run at him or anything, it just happened."
She said that when Mr Ryan collapsed on the ground, another friend said to Mr Maher "look at what you’ve done" to which Mr Maher replied "so what boy, you’ll be next".
She identified two knives found on the roadway outside the house following the fatal stabbing as the knives Mr Maher had taken from the kitchen.
She was giving evidence on the third day of the trial of Mr Charles Maher, originally from Fethard, Co Tipperary and with an address at Grange Cohan, St John's Park, Waterford.
Mr Maher has pleaded not guilty to the murder of one of his friends, John Paul Ryan (aged 20), who was originally from Clonmel, Co Tipperary at Grange Cohan Park, Waterford on March 11, 2002.
The court has already heard that "all war broke loose" outside a chipper in the city when Mr Ryan allegedly took a sausage out of Mr Maher's bag of chips.
Shortly afterwards, Mr Ryan returned to the Grange Cohan estate with a group of friends to confront Mr Maher but he was stabbed twice and died shortly afterwards.
Garda Alan white told the court that when he arrived at the scene he saw Mr Ryan lying on the ground with one of his friends leaning over him.
"Charlie Maher approached me and said ‘put the handcuffs on me, I did it’," he said.
Shortly afterwards, Mr Maher was arrested and driven away from the scene in a patrol car.
"He said he used the small knife and was asking for John Paul, he said he didn’t mean what happened," the garda said.
The trial continues tomorrow.
