Underlying tensions led to murder, court hears
Underlying tension and resentment between two men had "a part to play" in the fatal stabbing of a teenage father-of-one in Carlow town a murder trial jury were told today.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Edward Comyn SC for the prosecution was addressing the jury on the opening day of the trial of Mr John Dillon (22) of Granby Row, Carlow.
Mr Dillon has denied the murder of Warren Slater (17) at Granby Row, Carlow on May 13, 2001.
The court heard that at the time of his death Mr Slater lived with his girlfriend and their six-month old baby in a downstairs bedsit of the same house in which Mr Dillon lived with his mother Noleen and his sister.
He described the deceased as a young man who drank too much, something that put strain on his relationship with his girlfriend.
Mr Comyn told the jury that Mr Slater’s death arose out of "an unplanned fracas or row" between him and the accused in which he suffered three stab wounds.
However, background relations between the two "had a particular part to play in the outcome of that meeting between them".
"While on the surface relations between the deceased and accused appeared alright, underneath they were not good," he explained.
This was due to a serious incident between Mr Slater and Mr Dillon’s mother Noleen some time earlier.
"On one occasion late at night Noleen Dillon was in the sitting room and the deceased came in and attempted to or carried out a sexual assault on her," Mr Comyn told the jury.
This incident had caused "some effect on the accused" and he was "properly resentful of this assault on his mother", counsel continued.
On the night of Mr Slater’s death, the deceased had a number of rows with his girlfriend because he insisted on staying out drinking at a party in a student house across the road.
"She threw his clothes out on to the path showing her anger and frustration, but this gesture didn’t have any real effect on the deceased man," Mr Comyn said.
When she couldn’t persuade him to come home to her, she asked Mr Dillon to help her get him to return.
"He didn’t really want to do this, he saw it as interfering in a family row, but she persuaded him and he went with her," counsel said.
Mr Slater came out of the student’s house in a drunken condition carrying a number of beer cans, which he dropped when he saw Mr Dillon.
"He began accusing Dillon of saying things about him and the abuse of his mother, he was drunk and aggressive and had his fists up," the court heard.
This exchange between the pair lasted for a short while before the Mr Dillon ran back into his house. His mother and sister attempted to shut the door, but Mr Dillon came out on to the street with a knife in his hand.
"While the deceased was still aggressive and advancing towards the accused, he went for him with the knife and stabbed him three times," Mr Comyn said.
The trial continues before Mr Justice White and a jury.
