Neighbours had history of dispute, trial hears

TWO neighbours — one of whom is charged with the murder of the other — were involved in a previous antagonistic verbal dispute to which gardaí were called, the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick, 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, Sean Murphy, aged 29, on January 17, 2010.

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

Mr Murphy died after he was stabbed by Higgins who told gardaí he armed himself with an ornamental dagger to defend himself.

The accused claimed Mr Murphy came at him armed with a plank when both arrived back in the estate at the same time after being in different pubs in Tipperary and Lattin that day.

Higgins claimed Mr Murphy started abusing him.

Mr Murphy’s partner Paula Hassett said Higgins started the abuse.

The jury of eight men and four women heard relations began to deteriorate some time in 2007 after Higgins’ partner, Emma Butler, went to her neighbours at No 2, complaining their children had been behaving inappropriately.

Garda Karen O’Hea yesterday recalled that on October 20, 2009 after coming on duty at Tipperary Town Garda Station she met Paula Hassett in the public area and in conversation she became aware that Ms Hassett had concerns relating to Emma Butler. Grda O’Hea told Ms Hassett gardaí would call immediately if anything happened.

After Ms Hassett left the station, Grda O’Hea said they received a phone call that a disturbance had occurred between the two neighbours at No 1 and No 2 New Houses, Lattin.

She was one of a number of gardaí who went to the scene. Higgins and Sean Murphy were in a verbal dispute and quite antagonistic towards one another.

They asked the two men to return to their houses. Sean Murphy complied; it was some minutes before Higgins went to his home.

Grda O’Hea said she was on duty on the night of January 17, 2010, when a 999 call came in. On arriving at Lattin at 9.40pm, she said Higgins was standing at the doorway of his house and there were people on the lawn of No 2.

Sean Murphy was lying on the ground and she became aware he had been stabbed. She and a colleague administered CPR. His torso was covered in blood.

A doctor who arrived, pronounced Sean Murphy dead at 10pm.

The trial continues.