Lithuanian murder accused 'attacked by second man'
A Lithuanian man on trial for murder was allegedly threatened and attacked by a second man, a convicted criminal in Lithuania, who survived the stabbing, the Central Criminal Court heard today.
Valerij Makarov (aged 25), also known as Andris Simonis, with an address at Earlsfort Drive in Lucan, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Tomas Lukosevicious (aged 30) on May 11, 2003, in Lucan.
The accused has also pleaded not guilty to causing intentional or reckless harm to Aldevinias Gudavicius (aged 34) and to threatening to harm Jonas Bernotas (aged 21) on the same date in Lucan.
Mr Aldevinias Gudavicius told the court that he went to the home of the accused on the night of May 11, 2003, to have a "friendly discussion" about a payment allegedly promised back to his friend, Jonas Bernotas, for the procurement of a job.
Mr Gudavicius said that the accused "didn't say hello or anything, he just attacked me".
Defence counsel Mr Hugh Hartnett SC suggested to the court that the reason the accused did not greet Mr Gudavicius was because he attacked the accused.
"You ran down the corridor. You ran down the kitchen, knocked Makarov down against a counter and punched him," Mr Hartnett SC said. "When Makarov was against the counter he reached into a drawer and took out a knife," he added.
Mr Gudavicius told the court that he did not agree and that it was defence counsel's "right to suggest that".
Mr Hartnett SC told the court that a number of phone calls made from Mr Gudavicius' phone to the accused included threats to Makarov's "car, his own safety and the safety of his family".
Only hours before the fatal stabbing incident, Makarov was told in one of the calls that "things would happen if he didn't pay the money", according to Mr Hartnett SC.
"I didn't do it," Mr Gudavicius replied.
Mr Hartnett SC told the court that the same man who went to Makarov's house as a "mediator" for his friends was a convicted criminal in Lithuania, who had served a prison sentence from 1996 to 2000.
Mr Gudavicius had been convicted of car theft, the possession of explosive substances and the possession of drugs. Mr Hartnett told the court that, according to Interpol, he was also convicted of the extortion of property, which Mr Gudavicius disputed.
"I am a working man now, I have put my past behind me," Mr Gudavicius said through his interpreter.
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Barry White.
