AN Englishman stabbed and killed another man after earlier fighting about alleged racist gibes as they drank cider and listened to Irish music, a jury at the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Paul Noonan (21), who grew up in Britain, but with an address at Greystone Street, Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary, denies murdering, but admits the manslaughter of Mr Edward Greene in Carrick on Suir on the morning of November 8th last year.
Ms Maureen Clark SC, prosecuting, told Mr Justice Kinlen that Mr Noonan and his girlfriend moved to Ireland late last year when his mother returned to her home town of Carrick on Suir.
Ms Clark said the killing of Mr Greene (28), a local man, arose out of a "sad, stupid and unnecessary" incident, when an argument arose about alleged racist comments about the English.
Ms Tracey Dorney said she had been Mr Greene's girlfriend for seven months. On November 7th last year she met ham in a pub in the town. Around 10.45 p.m., along with Mr Greene's ex-girlfriend, Ms Barbara O'Connor they went to the Gate Bar where Mr Greene bought a flagon of cider.
In the pub, they met another friend, Mr Robbie Cleary, his girlfriend and Mr Noonan, whom they did not know.
There was a short argument when Mr Noonan claimed the cider flagon was his, but it was sorted out and everything was amicable, said Ms Dorney.
The group later went back to Mr Cleary's flat where they drank cider and listened to Irish music.
Around 1 a.m. a remark was made about soccer fans and an argument developed between Mr Noonan and Mr Greene.
Ms Dorney said Mr Noonan pulled her boyfriend on to his lap and hit him. She then grabbed Mr Greene to take him out of the complex and slapped Mr Noonan when he grabbed her wrist. The owner of the flats complex arrived and asked her, Mr Greene and Ms O'Connor to leave.
She said Mr Greene stood on the street at the doorway to the flats for a while and Mr Noonan came out with something in his hand. He jabbed at the victim who bent over and moaned. Ms Dorney said she knew then her boyfriend had been stabbed.
She said he walked up the street a bit and then collapsed. She called an ambulance but later she was told Mr Greene was dead on arrival at Waterford Regional Hospital.
Ms O'Connor said that in the flat Mr Cleary and Mr Greene sang songs and played a tape of rebel songs, including James Connolly.
Ms O'Connor said something was said about "an English Irish match at Lansdowne Road" and a row developed. She then left the building and a short time later Mr Greene and Ms Dorney came out.
In reply to Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, defending, Ms O'Connor agreed Mr Greene began banging at the door of the building trying to get back in and he would not come away when she told him to.
Mr Noonan came out and they grappled in the middle of the street, but a passer by distracted her and she did not see what happened next.
The State pathologist, Dr John Harbison, said Mr Greene died from a stab wound which punctured his spleen.
The trial before Mr Justice Kinlen continues.