Murder accused ‘out of his head on tablets’ at time of fatal attack, jury hears

A man accused of stabbing his brother-in-law to death in broad daylight in Kilkenny city last year has told a Central Criminal Court jury he believed his wife had cheated on him with the alleged victim “years ago”.

Andrew ‘Andy’ Cash took the stand in his own defence on Wednesday, telling the jury he was “out of his head on tablets” and could not clearly remember the events of the day.

Mr Cash, of Highrath, Clara, Co Kilkenny, is accused of the murder of John Cash (40) at Hebron Road, Kilkenny on May 3rd, 2022.

The defendant (30), a father of three, is also accused of assault causing harm to his sister, Elizabeth Cash, who is John Cash’s wife, and of the production of a knife during the course of a dispute or fight at around 12.30pm on the same date. He has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

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The jury has heard that John Cash was still conscious when gardaí arrived at the scene of his stabbing and was able to point out Andy Cash as his alleged attacker.

Andy Cash told prosecuting barrister Michael Delaney SC that he had a belief that his wife had cheated on him with John Cash “years ago”.

CCTV footage played to the jury has showed Andy Cash driving his Nissan Micra into Kilkenny city from his home and having a pint in the World’s End bar before driving back in the direction of Highrath at around 11.30am.

The accused told Mr Delaney that he did not know why he drove home only to then return to the pub 30 minutes later, but he denied “100 per cent” it was to collect a knife to use in a confrontation with John Cash.

After leaving the pub at around midday, the accused said he witnessed John and Elizabeth Cash leave a shop and walk towards the Gashouse Lane area. He said he wanted to confront John Cash.

Mr Delaney asked the accused if he was the person on the CCTV footage played to the jury holding up his fists, putting up two middle fingers towards John Cash and shouting at him. 

“Yes. I must have been,” he replied.

Mr Delaney asked the witness if he had told the deceased “I am going to kill you when I get my hands on you”.

“I can’t recall. I was out of my head on tablets. I remember bits of it, clips of it,” he replied.

The accused agreed with counsel that it had been him captured on CCTV following the couple towards the Gashouse Lane with a knife behind his back, but maintained the knife had been in the car “for ages” and that he used it for “fixing up stuff”.

The accused agreed with counsel that he gave the deceased “a good thumping” while he was on the ground at Hebron Road but denied stabbing him, telling counsel that John Cash had “ducked” out of his knife’s way.

Andy Cash said that while John Cash was on the ground he heard a comment that made him “get a rush of anger” and that he “lost control”.

The accused had already told James Dwyer SC, defending, that he heard John Cash say that he would be “out to the lad’s yard later” which was a reference to Andy Cash’s home. The accused told Mr Dwyer that he took the statement to mean that John Cash was “coming out for a row”.

Mr Delaney put it to the accused that he was “consumed by hatred” for the deceased, to which Andy Cash replied: “I didn’t like him but I didn’t want to kill him. Everyone’s lives have changed.”

Mr Delaney asked if the accused remembered stating that John Cash “had it coming for years” in the presence of gardaí who arrived at the scene in the immediate aftermath. Andy Cash said he could not recall.

Counsel said there had been evidence in the case that the accused had shouted “you got what you deserved” at the deceased but Andy Cash said he did not know that his brother-in-law had been stabbed at all and maintained that position in his Garda interview that night.

The prosecution and defence have both concluded their evidence and closing speeches in the case will commence on Thursday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of seven women and five men.