Murder trial witness accused of colouring his evidence

AN EYEWITNESS in a murder trial in Cork was accused yesterday of colouring his evidence by claiming that the two accused were laughing after the attack.

John Brett, 25, of 26A Leitrim Street, Cork, and Jason Quinlan, 29, of 11 Loughmahon Drive, Mahon, Cork, both deny murdering Brian McKee, 24, at Ballinure Avenue, Mahon, Cork, on August 25, 2007, at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Cross-examined yesterday about his claim, Pat Bradley, a friend of the deceased, said: “My friend got killed, my friend got murdered like. They did it, the two of them. All I want is justice for my friend.”

Blaise O’Carroll, senior counsel for Brett, said Mr Bradley never mentioned anything about the accused laughing when he made statements to the gardaí.

“I remember now they were laughing,” said Mr Bradley.

“Is it not a question of colouring the facts to characterise them as laughing when they were not laughing . . . laughing as if it was a bit of a joke they had just killed a human being,” asked Mr O’Carroll.

Mr Bradley denied he was colouring his evidence.

The counsel said a note of Mr Bradley’s evidence from Wednesday suggested he had seen Brett with a knife, but Mr O’Carroll suggested this was an error.

Mr Bradley replied, “Brett could have had a knife, I didn’t actually see him.”

It was suggested to Mr Bradley he was unable to stop the late Brian McKee from getting out of his friend, Ray Keating’s, house before the fatal incident.

Mr Bradley said: “He was a strong lad, like.”

The jury was previously told that the deceased’s nickname was Bull.

Dr Michael Curtis, deputy state pathologist, said the cause of Mr McKee’s death was multiple stab wounds and he had cocaine and two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit for driving in his blood.

Dr Curtin said a knife blade and a larger knife with a broken handle and bent blade — both found in the area afterwards — could have caused the injuries but a cluster of injuries in a small area around the chest were caused by glass, and a shard of brown glass was found in one of the deceased’s wounds.

Prosecution witness Ray Keating, a friend of the late Brian McKee, said: “I saw the two of them punching Brian, more like jabs. I felt like they were giving Brian a good going-over.”

Describing the altercation between Brian McKee and his former girlfriend, Ciara Delaney, Mr Keating said Jason Quinlan arrived with his girlfriend, Rebecca Delaney, and became involved. Mr Keating said he asked Quinlan at that stage to leave Brian alone as he was drunk and would not be able for him. Quinlan did walk away at that stage.

Quinlan’s senior counsel, Patrick McCarthy, put it to Mr Keating he was worried about what Brian McKee would do because he was out of control.

He said his concern was for Brian. “He was in fear for his life, he was trying to get home.”

Mr McCarthy said Jason Quinlan broke his wrist that night and suggested it was from a fall. He asked for Mr Keating’s opinion on how Quinlan came to break his wrist. Mr Keating replied: “Probably sticking the knife in too far.”

Describing the incident where the late Mr McKee was running and fell at about 4.30am, Mr Keating said: “He was running for his life. The two of them stood over him. They started stabbing him.”

Amanda Collins was in the area at the time and she saw Jason Quinlan take a bottle from Ciara Delaney and break it. She also said: “I seen the shimmer of a knife in Jason’s hand.”

Mr O’Carroll said that a shimmer was an obscure notion and he wanted to know if she saw Quinlan with a knife or not. She said she did. Ms Collins also said Quinlan and Brett laughed as they ran from the scene.

Mr O’Carroll said she never mentioned that to the guards. She replied: “They never asked me.”

Cross-examination of Ms Collins will continue today.