Murder accused 'had claimed victim had insulted his family', court hears
A Dublin man accused of kicking another man to death in a derelict mansion, then burning the body after a day drinking in a city park, claimed that he didn’t usually drink during the day.
Alan Walsh (aged 39) of 43, Edenmore Park in Coolock, denies the murder of Dermot Sheridan at Red Court, Seafield Road East, Clontarf between August 8 and August 9, 2007. He also denies arson at the same time and place.
Detective Garda John Delaney told prosecuting counsel Mr Mark Durack SC that Mr Walsh told gardaí he had been walking his dog in St Anne’s Park in Raheny when he met some men he knew.
They were drinking cans and bought him some Dutch Gold lager. He told gardaí that he stayed in the park from lunchtime until around 9pm when he walked with the deceased and another man, Tony Fitzpatrick, to the derelict house in Clontarf.
Mr Walsh said that he knew Mr Sheridan to see as they would have sometimes drank in the same pub but he had not spoken to him properly until that day. He said that he looked after Mr Sheridan, giving him his Lacoste jacket to wear when he was cold.
Det Gda Delaney said that Mr Walsh told him he did not drink everyday and did not often go out to the pub. He would have between six and 12 cans of lager perhaps three times a week, the amount depending on what was on the television.
Mr Walsh said he was surprised when the row developed between himself and Mr Sheridan. They had been in the house for about an hour when Mr Sheridan insulted his family and told Mr Walsh he was becoming like his father, a chronic alcoholic.
He said he had hit Mr Sheridan over the head with four separate wine bottles, but discarded each one when it didn’t break. He said he also kicked him up to 100 times as he lay on the ground.
He told gardaí that Mr Fitzpatrick, who gave evidence earlier in the trial, was in the house with them. Mr Fitzpatrick had been playing with Mr Walsh’s dog when the row started, but left after Mr Walsh shouted “who’s next” to the room in general.
He said that he had not looked for his dog before setting fire to the newspapers he had heaped on Mr Sheridan as he had presumed Mr Fitzpatrick had taken him out of the house.
The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury of eight men and four women.
