THE TRIAL of a Dublin man charged with murder in the capital eight years ago opened in the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
Brian Rattigan (28), Cooley Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Declan Gavin (21), Mourne Road, Drimnagh, at Crumlin Road, Crumlin, on August 25th, 2001.
Pauline Walley, prosecuting, told the jury in her opening speech that Mr Gavin was stabbed to death in the early hours of Saturday, August 25th, 2001, outside the Crumlin shopping centre.
Ms Walley said: “The case of the prosecution is that Brian Rattigan murdered Declan Gavin by stabbing him with a large knife.”
The jury heard that on the night in question shortly before 3am, Mr Gavin was present at an Abrakebabra fast-food outlet on the ground floor of the Crumlin shopping centre.
At about 3.15am, a Nissan Micra pulled up outside the shopping centre with two occupants.
The jury was told a woman walked towards the car and had unfriendly words with the person in the passenger seat before walking away. A man then emerged from the car wearing a balaclava and carrying a large knife.
It was the prosecution’s case, Ms Walley said, that the man with the knife then “made for Declan Gavin” and stabbed him.
Mr Rattigan was the man who emerged from the car with the knife, she told the jury
Mr Rattigan left his prints on the window and door of Abrakebabra and in doing so he identified himself, she said.
The trial continues tomorrow morning before Mr Justice George Birmingham and a jury of eight men and four women.