Two Dublin men have denied they helped kill a drug addict, Josie Dwyer, after attending an anti-drugs meeting in Dublin's south inner city.
Mr Mark Alford and Mr William Kenny both said they were active in a legitimate anti-drugs movement and denied being with the gang who beat Mr Dwyer to death. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court also heard that a prosecution witness, Ms Karen Kennedy, claimed that she had been threatened when she gave evidence about the killings.
Mr Alford told the court he had attended a Concerned Parents anti-drugs meeting in Dolphin's Barn the night Mr Dwyer was killed. A Ms Joan Kenny allegedly told the meeting her son, Keith, was heavily involved in drugs and was difficult to control. The witness said he went on an anti-drugs patrol after the meeting and he and about five others told Keith Kenny to stop causing trouble for his mother. Mr Alford later walked down to Fatima Mansions but could not find any anti-drugs patrols there and decided to go to a pub in Dolphin's Barn.
He said Ms Kennedy was lying when she said he was among a group of men who punched Alan Byrne in Dolphin's Barn and Fatima Mansions. He also denied he was among a gang of men who attacked Mr Byrne and Mr Dwyer in Basin Lane.
Mr Alford (30), of Seagull House, Crumlin, and Mr Kenny, of St Anthony's Road, Rialto, have pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Josie Dwyer in Basin Lane, Dublin, on May 14th, 1996. They also deny committing violent disorder and assaulting Alan Byrne on the same date.
Cross-examined by Mr George Birmingham SC, Mr Alford said that Karen Kennedy had lied to gardai about her whereabouts on the night Josie Dwyer was killed. She had only implicated him after she was arrested and questioned about the killing.
Mr Birmingham put it to Mr Alford that Ms Kennedy had lied because her family had been threatened and she had explained this to a judge in another court.
He also suggested that Mr Alford had helped beat Josie Dwyer to death and had boasted about it later, which Mr Alford denied. Mr William Kenny later told the court he attended the same May 14th Concerned Parents meeting in Dolphin House. After the meeting he walked to the centre of Dolphin's Barn and saw a large group outside the ice rink.
He could not see what was going on but followed the group down to Fatima Mansions. He said he saw Josie Dwyer and Alan Byrne walking down Rubens Street with about 100 to 150 people behind them. There was a lot of shouting, and he was concerned for his own children.
He followed the group down to the entrance of Basin Lane but could not find his children because there were too many people around. He left the area with a number of others and went on patrol in Fatima Mansions.
Mr Kenny rejected evidence by Ms Sandra Doyle that he was seen standing at the top of Basin Lane with the bar of a cot in his hand during the attack on Josie Dwyer. He said another witness, Ms Fiona O'Brien, was "1,000 per cent wrong" to claim he was inside Basin Lane while the attack was happening.
Mr Paul Lennon was recalled for cross-examination by Mr Sean Gillane, for Mr Alford, and agreed that he confused Mr Alford with another man while making a deposition on the case in the District Court.