Judge asks jurors to pay close attention to closing speeches in Tims murder trial

The prosecution has completed its evidence in the trial of a man who admits killing but denies murdering his father during a row about drinking at home.

Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court told the jury of seven women and five men that the next stage of the trial will be closing speeches by barristers for the prosecution and defence.

He asked the jurors to pay close attention to the speeches as what they say will be “very useful to you in your deliberations.”

Mark Tims (48) has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not guilty to the murder of his father Anthony “Tony” Tims at the home they shared at Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on July 13th, 2018. His plea was rejected by the State.

His trial has previously heard that a row erupted when Anthony Tims returned home from the pub on his 74th birthday and the accused told him he had “cremated” his breakfast that morning and he didn’t want him to cook his breakfast again.

A witness has told that trial that Anthony Tims then told his son he was a “disappointment” and he wished he’d never been born before the accused man, who was “in a rage”, put his father in a headlock, punched him twice in the head and kicked him when he fell to the ground.

The accused man told gardaí during interviews that he “lost it” after his father “kept at” him for drinking in the house.

On the final day of evidence the jury listened to a 999 call that was made by the accused man’s then girlfriend Elizabeth “Lil” McDonagh immediately following the assault that resulted in Mr Tims’s death.

The trial continues in front of the jury and Justice Hunt.