Murder accused said ‘he snapped’

A MAN told gardaí investigating a fatal stabbing that he “snapped” when he saw another man in bed with his ex-girlfriend and two-year-old child, a court has heard.

John Flaherty, aged 25, of Ard Daire, Ferrybank, Waterford, said he arrived at “on-off girlfriend” Amy Quigley’s house at about 5am on June 20, 2010, and saw her asleep in bed with Patrick Murphy, aged 27, and one of the three children Flaherty and Ms Quigley had together.

“I basically snapped,” he told gardaí later that day.

“I hit him a punch. I went downstairs and picked up two knives from the kitchen and went back up and stabbed him in the stomach.”

Flaherty has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Waterford, to the murder of Patrick Murphy at 42 The Glen, Waterford.

Asked how many times he stabbed Mr Murphy, Flaherty said: “Once. There might have been some small slices when I was swinging at him, but only one stab.”

Describing his state of mind, he told gardaí: “They were both naked. Hard to control when you see someone in fucking bed with your missus.”

Detective Sergeant Donal Donoghue told the court that when he arrested Flaherty at 8am at his mother’s house and told him he was being arrested on suspicion of murder, the accused said: “Are you telling me the young fellow is dead?”

Earlier yesterday, Ms Quigley said Flaherty was in “an absolute rage” after he saw her in bed with Mr Murphy and the child.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I was coming out of the house alive,” she said. Mr Murphy had previously been in a relationship with her sister.

The court heard that, on May 23, 2010, Flaherty sent Ms Quigley a text message saying: “You’re still my soul-mate. You and the kids are my family.”

Two days later, he sent a message saying: “Go to lover boy. I give up. I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you, that’s the thing.”

The trial continues today.