Man faces life term for murder at Cavan brothel

A Polish national will be sentenced to life in prison for murdering a Romanian man who was guarding two prostitutes in a Cavan brothel last year.

Przemyslaw Trebacz (35) of Bramble Rise, Killynebber, Cavan, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Costel Catalin Cretu (38) at Connolly Court, Connolly Street, Cavan, between October 13th and 14th, 2012.

He had pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a door belonging to Brendan Cosgrove at Connolly Court on October 13th, 2012.

The Central Criminal Court heard Mr Cretu was stabbed once in the chest and once in the back and died at the scene.

The jury of nine men and three women returned the majority verdict of 10-2 after almost 10 hours of deliberations.

Mr Justice Barry White thanked the jury before excusing them from further service for life.

The judge adjourned sentencing at the request of the defence until January 20th next, when a victim impact statement will be read to the court.

It was the prosecution’s case that Trebacz went to the apartment to carry out a robbery and brought a weapon with him.

Trebacz denied bringing a knife with him and said he was going to the brothel to visit prostitutes with another man.

He told gardaí he paid Mr Cretu €80 for a half-hour but the door shut in his face.

Self-defence
Trebacz told gardaí that he kicked the apartment door in and struggled with Mr Cretu before he stabbed him, but said he was acting in self-defence.

He denied stealing money from one of the prostitutes and said he had a letter from his solicitor saying he was getting an apartment with €74,000 from his mother’s will.

Senior counsel Paul Greene, defending, with Tom Fitzpatrick, instructed by Damien Rudden solicitors, raised the defences of provocation and self-defence during the trial, which started on November 28th last.

Trebacz, who was 34 at the time, was living in Ireland with his partner and her child and was unemployed, the court heard.