A Cork man bled to death after being stabbed in the groin by a neighbour who acted in "common design" with another man, a murder trial jury heard yesterday.
Mr Keith O'Donovan (29) Spriggs Road, Cork, and Mr James Hourigan (32), Harbour View Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork, are charged with the murder of Noel McCarthy (29) on May 4th, 2000, at his home at Spriggs Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. They pleaded not guilty in the Central Criminal Court.
Mr John Edwards SC, prosecuting, told the jury the accused men acted in common design to murder Mr McCarthy. The victim sustained a fatal stab wound to the left groin and "bled out".
Mr Edwards told the jury that Mr McCarthy, an unemployed man, lived at home with his mother and had spent the day painting the exterior of the house at Spriggs Road. Later that evening, some friends called and they sat watching TV and drinking cider and lager.
A number of times throughout the evening, Mr McCarthy heard loud bangs at the front of the house. "He went out to remonstrate" with those responsible and came back with a bloodied nose. He left again and when he returned he had a deep gash on his face and had to be taken to hospital.
Mr Edwards said that Mr McCarthy's mother, Ms Mary McCarthy, would say that at about 3.45 a.m there was a loud knock on the door and her son opened it. The jury would hear evidence that he was pushed back into the hall by Mr O'Donovan accompanied by Mr Hourigan. His mother would say she saw Mr O'Donovan point to Mr McCarthy's right side and saw what looked like a knife with a cloth wrapped around it.
Ms McCarthy made a "grab for the knife" but Mr O'Donovan demanded she let it go. She saw her son slump to the floor and "blood gushing everywhere". When attempts were made to render assistance, a second man, whom the State says was Mr Hourigan, "ordered them to get back".
The trial before Mr Justice Carney continues today.