Man accused over fire in which boy died ‘threatened’ witness

A witness who says that a man accused of starting a fire in which a boy died threatened him on the night, has admitted he was abusing drugs at the time.

Stephen Hughes was 12-years-old in 2001 when he died in the fire in a makeshift den where he had been sleeping overnight.

Dermot Griffin (54) of Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to manslaughter at Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght on September 1, 2001.

James Farrelly previously told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, that he met Mr Griffin that night around the Rossfield estate.

“He came across the road towards me. He approached me and he said if you open your mouth I’ll kill you,” Mr Farrelly said. He said he told gardaí at the time that he had been drinking indoors all night because he didn’t want to get involved.

This morning Mr Farrelly agreed under cross-examination by Bernard Condon SC, defending, that he was a person with a substantial history of dishonesty. He said he started using heroin at 14 and he abused heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, drink and tablets.

Mr Condon put it to the witness that he didn’t meet the accused that night and that he doesn’t know what he was doing that night. Mr Farrelly replied: “I know what happened. I remember what happened”.

The court heard that Mr Farrelly had told gardaí he had been driving a stolen car in the area and had stolen a CD player from the car. He said he got out of the car but didn’t know how he ended up with Mr Griffin.

Counsel said this suggested there is a portion of the night that he can’t remember and was a blackout.

The court heard that Mr Farrelly told gardaí that when he bumped into Mr Griffin he was “screaming in the middle of the road like a madman”.

Counsel put it to the witness that it was possible he was describing another night. Mr Farrelly agreed that it’s a possibility but it’s unlikely.

The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.