Jurors in the trial of five Limerick men accused of murdering fellow Limerick man Kieran Keane were given free anti-flu vaccine yesterday to prevent them falling ill during the high-profile trial.
A doctor attended the Central Criminal Court at Cloverhill at 2 p.m. to immunise jurors and also the trial judge and the registrar.
The offer of the free vaccination in advance of a flu epidemic was made last week when Mr Justice Carney said the court must "nurture and cherish" the jury. It must, he warned, not fall below a certain number.
When the trial resumed, the chief prosecution witness, Mr Owen Treacy, continued his cross-examination by Mr Roddy O'Hanlon SC, for the accused, Mr Anthony McCarthy.
Mr O'Hanlon referred to Mr Treacy's statement to gardaí about a house in Roundwood, where Mr Treacy alleges he and Keane were held before being bundled into a van and driven to Drombana, where Keane was shot dead and the witness stabbed.
Mr Treacy alleged that a man identified in court as Mr X led them downstairs at gunpoint to the garage, where a green Hiace van was waiting. Counsel put it to the witness that he had told gardaí in previous statements that it was Mr McCarthy who had the gun.
The witness replied that he did not know whether the gun changed hands on the way downstairs. Mr Treacy said the internal light was on in the van and he could see clearly that there were three men inside.
He identified the two men in the front seats as Mr David Stanners and Mr McCarthy and put the time at approximately 9.10 p.m. Counsel put it to Mr Treacy that a passer by, Ms Penny, would give evidence that she saw the van parked outside the house at that time and there was no one inside. Counsel said Ms Penny would say she could see inside the van as the internal light was on. Counsel further suggested that the reason why his evidence differed from his statement and from the independent witness "is because your account is not in accordance with what occurred on the evening in question".
"I witnessed it my lord," Mr Treacy replied, "and I'll never forget it." Mr Treacy told the jury that he watched his uncle being shot dead and he himself was stabbed 17 times. "I was screaming, I was being stabbed rapidly." Mr O'Hanlon, reading from the witnesses's medical report, suggested that 16 wounds were "superficial" and one, described as "serious" partly punctured his lung.
"I classed them all serious" the witness replied, "they were all stab wounds." Mr Treacy agreed with counsel that after the men had left in the van he jumped a ditch.
"Your condition did not prevent or hamper that movement" Mr O'Hanlon inquired. "No, my lord," Mr Treacy replied. He explained that he could see car lights coming towards him and he thought the men were returning "to finish me off".
The five accused have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kieran Keane (36) of Garryowen, Limerick, on January 29th last and to falsely imprisoning him on the same date.
They also deny the attempted murder of Mr Treacy and to falsely imprisoning him.
The trial continues today.