A MAN charged with murder said yesterday he had set out "to scare" but had no intention of killing or causing serious injury. A father of three children died in hospital two days after he was struck by the accused man's car.
Mr Anthony McLoughlin (40), of Dolphin House, Dublin, accepted there was "bad blood" between his family and that of Mr Paschal Corcoran and agreed he was in many ways the cause of it. He accepted he had struck Mr Corcoran with his car on June 9th, 1994, thereby causing his death two days later.
His intention was "to really give him a good scare," Mr McLoughlin said. "I had no intention of killing anybody."
The defendant was giving evidence on the third day of his trial at the Central Criminal Court. He has denied the murder of Mr Corcoran (40), of St Mark's Drive, Ronanstown, on June 11th, 1994. He has also denied assaulting Mrs Marion Corcoran, wife of the deceased, on June 9th.
Evidence in the case concluded yesterday and a verdict is expected later today.
Mr McLoughlin told Mr Gregory Murphy SC, defending, that he was driving his car down St Mark's Drive on June 9th, 1994, when he passed the Corcorans walking on the pathway.
He agreed he drove his car on to the pavement and that it had struck Mr Corcoran. He said his state of mind was to frighten Mr Corcoran.
He said he had not tried to leave the scene and had not given directions to burn his car. He said he was in a state of shock.
He agreed he had told the gardai lies about the incident. He said he was now telling the truth. He could not remember saying: "I hope the fat bastard is dead", but it was possible he did say that.
Mr McLoughlin told Mr Paul O'Higgins SC, prosecuting, that at the time of the incident he was annoyed with the Corcorans and other families on the road. He was thinking he would frighten Mr Corcoran off "from being a scourge to my family".
He believed the left side of his car hit Mr Corcoran. He had planned to drive between Mr and Mrs Corcoran, he said his reaction after was one of complete shock.
He said he had not punched Mrs Corcoran in the face but had pushed her away from his wife.
He denied the statement, "I hope the fat bastard is dead", reflected his real state of mind after the incident. He didn't mean it in that way, he said.
The State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, told Mr Paul Coffey, prosecuting, that Mr Corcoran died of swelling of the brain with subdural haemorrhage and fracturing of the skull due to an impact on the head.
Dr Harbison agreed with Mr Murphy the cause of death was that Mr Corcoran's head hit either the ground or the car. He agreed there was a deep graze on Mr Corcoran's thigh and the major impact to Mr Corcoran from whatever hit him appeared to have been on his right leg.