Man accused of murdering neighbour said victim assaulted him

A MAN accused of murdering his next-door neighbour told a detective shortly after the alleged crime he had previously been assaulted by the deceased, a court heard yesterday.

Richard Higgins, aged 42, of 1, New Houses, Lattin, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his next-door neighbour, Seán Murphy, aged 29, of 2, New Houses, last year.

He also denies threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Seán Murphy and his partner, Paula Hassett, on dates in October and December 2009.

The state claims that Mr Murphy died after he was stabbed once by Higgins. Relations between the neighbours reportedly began to deteriorate in 2007 when Higgins’ partner, Emma Butler, went to the house next door to complain about children.

On the third day of evidence at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick, Detective Sergeant John Long, of Tipperary Town, said he arrived at the scene at 9.45pm on January 17, 2010. He met Higgins in the kitchen of his house and gave him a caution.

Higgins said he had come from the pub adding ‘he whacked the fuck out of me and I whacked’.”

Higgins said Mr Murphy had hit him with a plank of wood and his family were in jeopardy and he had to protect them. Higgins said his “missus” had previously been assaulted by Ms Hassett and Mr Murphy had assaulted him.

Neil Hassett, father of Ms Hassett, said on St Stephen’s Night, 2009, he was with his wife, two sisters and a friend in the Village Inn in Lattin.

The next thing he saw Higgins standing at the counter, staring at him.

Higgins approached and said: “Tell your fucking daughter I am not finished with her yet.” Higgins then directed a hand gesture at him as if pointing a gun.

Cross-examined by Brendan Nix, defending, Mr Hassett said he saw no cut or swelling on Higgins’ face. He said the following day, he had heard there had been a row between Mr Murphy and Higgins in a pub.

Clare Heffernan said she was with Ms Butler and others in a pub in Tipperary town in October when there was a going-away party.

She saw Ms Hassett and Mr Murphy in the pub. Ms Heffernan said she went to the smoking area and Ms Butler was angry when she entered the smoking area and had been crying.

Ms Hassett came into the smoking area from another side and there were words between Ms Hassett and Ms Butler.

Ms Heffernan said Ms Hassett hit Ms Butler, who fell onto a table.

The trial continues.