‘Nobody was meant to die’ – Clare man in court over fatal stabbing

The Kilrush man charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 25 year old Kilkee man, Karl Haugh told gardaí when charged "nobody was meant to die that night".

At Ennis District Court today, Robbie Walsh (21) of Island View, Kilrush, was charged with assault causing serious harm to Mr Haugh at the Marian Estate in Kilkee on August 6th contrary to Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution of Mr Walsh at Kilrush Garda Station at 5.53pm yesterday, Garda David King said that when charged, Mr Walsh replied ‘nobody was meant to die that night’.

Solicitor for Mr Walsh, Edel Ryan, applied for bail. Judge Marie Keane refused bail to Mr Walsh after Garda concerns and remanded him in custody.

Outlining the Garda concerns, Det Sgt Padraig Frawley said that it will be alleged that Mr Walsh was one of three people to enter the Marian Estate in Kilkee after 1am on Sunday morning and proceeded to call to houses in the estate looking for Karl Haugh.

Mr Frawley – who is leading the investigation into Mr Haugh’s death – said that it will be further alleged that while in the estate, the accused and the two males came across Karl Haugh and another male and a fight ensued where weapons were used.

He said: “Other individuals also arrived who became involved in the fight.”

Mr Frawley said: “During the course of the altercation, Karl Haugh received a stab wound to his back. Garda arrived at the scene where knives and golf clubs were recovered.”

He said that Karl Haugh was brought by ambulance to Limerick University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 6am.

Mr Frawley said that a post mortem was carried out by Dr Michael Curtis and the initial report indicated that Mr Haugh’s death was a result of a stab wound to his back – to the left of the spine that punctured his left lung.

Tension

Mr Frawley said that there has been tension in the area in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

He said: “This was evident on the morning of the incident where there was an incident at the residence of the accused in Kilrush.”

He said: “Gardaí believe that this incident is indirectly related to the incident at Marian Estate.”

Mr Frawley said that Mr Walsh was arrested by gardaí on 10am on Sunday morning.

Mr Frawley said that there is a fear that if Mr Walsh is released on bail “it will lead to an escalation in tension and a potential for further incidents”.

He said that gardaí recovered a knife handle and a blade at the scene of Mr Haugh’s death and the blade had blood on it.

Mr Frawley said that Mr Walsh is a drug addict and is a user of cocaine, xanax and cannabis.

Ms Ryan: “My client has been co-operative with gardaí and will continue to be co-operative and is agreeable to any bail conditions that the court might impose.”

Insp Tom Kennedy said: “This is a very serious matter and gardaí have grave concerns if Mr Walsh is granted bail.”

Judge Keane said: “I am satisfied that this matter doesn’t merit bail. The circumstances of this are quite serious. There is a fatality as a result of the incident.”

She said: “The State has given evidence of tension in the area of Kilkee and this is quite understandable given that all the parties are known to each other.”

Judge Keane remanded Mr Walsh in custody to August 15th to re-appear before Ennis District Court.

Mr Haugh’s remains will be reposing at St Senan’s Church in Kilkee this evening and his funeral mass is to take place in Kilkee tomorrow afternoon.