A 20-year-old Dublin man was yesterday found guilty of contempt of court after refusing to give evidence in the trial of Jason Larkin, who was sentenced to life in prison last Friday for murder.
Brian Carroll from Coolock, who is already serving a three-year sentence for rape was yesterday remanded in custody by Mr Justice Barry White "until such time you are willing to purge your contempt of court".
The expiration of Carroll's sentence for rape is July 16th, 2006, with the earliest remission date November 7th, 2005. Mr Justice White said the accused will be remanded in custody until he apologises to the court, "be it until 7th November, 2005, or 16th July, 2006, you will remain in custody until such time you are willing to purge your contempt".
Carroll refused to give evidence in the trial of Larkin (20), East Wall, Dublin, who was found guilty of the murder of Mr Patrick Costello (31). Larkin had pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Costello, also of East Wall, at The Plough public house, Abbey Street, Dublin, on July 4th, 2002. Larkin stabbed the victim after the pair had been involved in a row after drinking in the bar.
Addressing the accused, Mr Justice White said Carroll "absented" himself from the witness box. "I called you back and requested an apology, at with stage you made disparaging remarks about me and about the judiciary system in general.
"My purposes in calling you back now is in relation to your conduct in leaving the witness box". Mr Justice White then gave Carroll "a second opportunity to apologise", to which the accused replied, "I've nothing to apologise for".
"If your not willing to apologise I am left with no other option but to remand you in custody until such time you purge your contempt," Mr Justice White said.