Cork man denies murder stabbing charge

A man has denied a charge of murdering a father of two who was fatally stabbed during a dispute between two factions at a pub in Cork. Dean Crinnion (20) denied the murder of Gerard Delaney at Lower Friar's Walk, Ballyphehane, Cork, on December 27th, 2011, when arraigned at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. Mr Crinnion, Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, also denied charges of engaging in violent disorder and producing a knife during a row on the same occasion.

Marjorie Farrelly SC, prosecuting, yesterday gave the jury of seven men and five women an outline of the evidence which she expected the State would call in the case. Ms Farrelly said that Gerard Delaney (51), Lakelands Crescent, Mahon, Cork, died shortly before 1am on December 27th, 2011, at Cork University Hospital. She said the jury would hear that he was stabbed 13 times during a fracas inside and outside the Manhattan Bar on Lower Friar's Walk.

“In the course of Gerard Delaney struggling with another person in the dartboard area [of the Manhattan Bar], Dean Crinnion with a knife stabbed Gerard Delaney into the back,” Ms Farrelly told the court. “You will hear from Finbarr Delaney [Gerard Delaney’s brother] that he [Crinnion] stabbed him, that he stabbed him a number of times in the bar.

“You will hear from others of the retreat out of the Manhattan Bar, making their way out to the car park and you will hear that one of the persons following them out was Dean Crinnion. You will then hear evidence that Dean Crinnion,” Ms Farrelly added, “being one of the persons following the deceased, again attacked Gerard Delaney with a knife and stabbed him repeatedly.”

Ms Farrelly said the prosecution would call evidence from the postmortem that would show that Mr Delaney suffered stab wounds that penetrated bone, lungs, vertebrae and small bowel. “It is the State’s case that those wounds were inflicted by Dean Crinnion,” Ms Farrelly told the jury.

The jurors had earlier been informed by Mr Justice Paul Carney that the case could last three weeks.