Murder accused 'admitted stabbing and was sorry'
A young man on trial for murdering a man in his bedroom in Cork city last year told gardaí during an interview a few days later that he stabbed him a number of times and was sorry, according to evidence presented today.
Frank Cunningham (aged 20) from 71 Bridevalley View, Fairhill, Cork, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering Patrick Walsh at the deceased’s home at 62 Fair Hill Drive, Cork, and robbery of cash from the late Mr Walsh in May last year.
The second week of his trial before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of seven men and five women commenced today at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
Detective Garda David O’Callaghan testified about an interview with Cunningham, which concluded with the accused stating: “I am sorry for the family. I had no intention of killing him, it just went out of hand.”
The detective asked, according to the memo of interview, “Do you think Pa was dead when you left the room?”
Cunningham’s reply was: “You could hear him choke to death. The blood was just gushing out of him. I know he was dead.”
According to the memo of interview that was put in evidence, Cunningham said he knew that the late Patrick Walsh had about €1,000 because he saw him with it earlier that day.
Cunningham stated that he had about 10 cans of beer at his home and went out after 3am, carrying a knife from his own house.
According to the memo, he stated that he got in the window of the deceased’s bedroom, put a knife to his throat and told him to shut his mouth and he would be all right, but he said there was a struggle and the deceased shouted: “Mam, help.”
Cunningham said during the interview that he stabbed Mr Walsh a number of times and slit his throat and that he (Cunningham) was out of his head at the time.
The accused also said that he took the knife with him after he left the Walsh home and that he burned it and buried it in a field near Blackstone Bridge.
He said during the interview that he and the late Mr Walsh (aged 28) were friends and used to go drinking together.
