Murder accused said victim was pushed towards knife
A 22 year-old Carlow man on trial for murder was "adamant" that the knife he threatened his 17 year-old victim with made impact because the victim’s girlfriend swung him around in the direction of the knife.
At the Central Criminal Court today Det Garda Colm Moran was giving evidence on the sixth day of the trial of John Dillon, of Granby Row, Carlow. Dillon denies the murder of Mr Warren Slater outside a house at Granby Row, Carlow on May 13, 2001.
Det Garda Moran told the court that Dillon refuted the claim that Mr Slater’s girlfriend had run from the scene when she saw the knife and was not holding on to him when he was stabbed.
"That’s lies, she grabbed him and pushed him towards the wall, that’s when the knife went into him," Dillon told gardai during questioning.
In her direct evidence to the trial, Ms Heary said that she "actually heard" the knife going through her boyfriend when he was stabbed and also that she ran up the road at one stage because she was frightened.
Det Gda Paul Moran of Carlow St Garda Station denied suggestions by defence counsel Mr Paddy McCarthy that the gardai had not fully considered all aspects of the argument how long it had taken Dillon to grab the murder weapon from inside his house.
When Mr McCarthy SC suggested that the gardai were "directing yourselves only towards murder" when they questioned the accused, Det Gda Moran replied, "I would not agree with that".
The trial continues before Mr Justice Barry White.
