A witness at the trial of a man accused of murder tried to assist a man who had been stabbed outside an Abrakebabra outlet in Dublin, the Central Criminal Court heard today.
Brian Rattigan (28), Cooley Rd, Drimnagh, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Declan Gavin (20), Mourne Rd, Drimnagh, at Crumlin Rd, Crumlin on August 25th 2001.
It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Rattigan got out of a Nissan Micra that had pulled up outside the Abrakebabra fast-food outlet at Crumlin Shopping Centre before he stabbed Mr Gavin in a “targeted attack.”
Karen Douglas told the court that she “can’t remember a thing about that night”.
“It’s all a blur to me,” she said.
She said she knew what happened to Mr Gavin “from the newspapers”.
Ms Douglas said that she saw Mr Gavin come into Abrakebabra and that people were “screaming his name”.
“They were saying he was hurt.”
She said that she and a friend “assisted him.”
“I saw a bit of blood. I put toilet-roll on his wound,” she said.
Deirdre Smith, who was aged 13 at the time of the alleged murder, told the court that she went to Abrakebabra with her sister’s boyfriend.
She said that a man got stabbed and that people “started screaming”.
She said she could not describe the attacker.
Derek Thompson told the court that “can’t remember” the night of the alleged murder.
Mr Justice Barry White told the jury today that a legal issue has arisen and asked them to return next Wednesday, when the trial will resume.