Man, 21, given life sentence for murder

A man has been jailed for life at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a father-of-one.

Andrew Gibney, aged 21, of Drumheath Avenue, Mulhuddart, Co Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Gerard Burnett, aged 28, at Castlecurragh Vale, Mulhuddart, on Aug 21, 2012.

Mr Burnett suffered 30 stab wounds after he was attacked by a group of men outside his girlfriend’s house and was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

He told gardaí Mr Burnett stabbed him in the shoulder with a screwdriver four years previously but they had since made amends.

The jury returned a majority 10-2 guilty verdict after four-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to life imprisonment and backdated it to Aug 28, 2012 for time spent in custody.

The prosecution’s case was that Gibney was part of a joint enterprise to murder Mr Burnett.

Tom O’Connell, prosecuting, told the jury Gibney was one of five men went to Mr Burnett’s house in Castlecurragh Avenue shortly before midnight. Mr Burnett sold ecstasy and wine to people if the off-licence was shut, the court heard.

Two of the men were armed with knives and when the doorbell rang, Mr Burnett opened the door, and he was set upon.

A week later, Gibney’s house was searched by gardaí and the next day he visited Blanchardstown Garda Station where he admitted stabbing Mr Burnett three times in the side.

He told gardaí he decided to go to Mr Burnett’s house about a half-an-hour beforehand and that the events were triggered by alcohol.

Gibney told gardaí he got the knife from his house, then ran back home after the incident and washed the blade in his kitchen.

Mr Burnett’s partner Denise Farrell told Mr O’Connell that she was in the house that night and their son was in bed asleep.

Ms Farrell said the doorbell rang and she told Mr Burnett not to answer it but that he did.

She said she saw three men at the door and there was some sort of knife in one of the men’s hands.

Ms Farrell said after Mr Burnett was dragged outside, she closed the door, ran upstairs to get her child before leaving the house through the back door.

State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy said the cause of death was multiple stab wounds and blood loss due to injuries to the right lung, heart and liver.