A scaffolder accused of murdering his friend by stomping on his head told a garda he fought with the deceased after he said he would rape the defendant’s mother, a jury has heard.
The trial also heard on Friday that three areas of blood-staining with DNA matching that of the deceased were found on the accused man’s runner.
Tomas Cypas (35), with an address at Foxborough Road, Lucan, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Juris Kokenbergs (49) at Old Bridge Park, Lucan, Co Dublin on October 28th, 2024.
The jury has listened to a 999 recording of Cypas requesting an ambulance for his friend Kokenbergs, who he said he had a fight with two days beforehand but was no longer breathing and was cold to the touch.
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Forensic scientist Dr Paul Kelly on Friday told Conor Devally SC, prosecuting, that he examined Cypas’s clothing – including navy-and-white Adidas runners as well as Calvin Klein socks – for the presence of blood-staining and DNA.
The witness said he found three areas of blood-staining on the accused’s right runner which matched the DNA profile of Kokenbergs. These included the toe area, the middle sole area adjacent to the studs and inside the midsole. He said it was a thousand million times more likely that the blood originated from the deceased than an unknown person.
Kelly said he obtained a mixed DNA profile from the blood-staining on the sole of the accused’s socks. He said there was DNA present from more than one person but the main male profile matched the deceased man.
The witness said he had also examined swabs from blood-staining on the carpet, wall and under the radiator at Old Bridge Park in Lucan. He said the main DNA profile obtained from these areas matched that of Kokenbergs and it was a thousand million times more likely that it originated from the deceased than an unknown person.
Under cross-examination by Brendan Grehan SC, defending, Kelly said he was made aware that some element of cleaning had been done at the scene.
The witness said the blood-staining was visible with special lighting and that the stain on the toe area of the runner was approximately 2cm in length.
Kelly agreed the blood-staining on the middle sole area and inside the insole beside the studs was 0.2cm in length.
The witness further agreed it was a very small red dot of staining and could only be seen under very powerful lamps.
The third area of blood-staining, he said, was a faint line of red staining inside the midsole of the white area of the runner measuring 0.4cm in length.
Another forensic scientist, Dr Jonathan Loftus, said he was supplied with images of the head injury to Kokenbergs and compared them to the accused’s footwear. He said his finding was that there was “weak support” that Cypas’s footwear had made the pattern on the deceased’s head.
Garda Dominic Downing testified that Cypas told him on the morning of October 28th that he had a fight with Kokenbergs on the night of October 26th after the deceased said he would rape the accused’s mother. The accused told the witness he had punched his friend in the head nine or 10 times. The garda said the accused told him he had got up to check on his friend that morning and found him on the floor.
[ Murder accused told 999 his friend was cold to the touchOpens in new window ]
Under cross-examination, the garda agreed with Grehan that his client was in shock and also said he had stayed in the house on October 27th, where he had “more drinks” with his mother.
At the outset of the murder trial, the jurors were told they would hear evidence that Kokenbergs died after his head was stomped on and the panel will have to consider the accused’s intent at the time.
The 12 jurors were told by defence counsel that the accused admits hitting the deceased.
The trial continues on Monday before Judge Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
