Throat cut after professing love, court told

The Romanian accused of murdering an Englishman in Bandon in 2011 claimed the woman drinking with them at the time slashed the victim’s throat with a broken glass after the victim had professed his love for her.

Ciprian Grozavu, aged 39, of Bridge House, Sean Hales Place, Bandon, Co Cork, denies murdering John Forrester, aged 42, at Bridge House on November 12, 2011. The jury was told earlier Catherine O’Connor, who also lived at Bridge House, had previously confessed to murdering Mr Forrester.

The jury heard that, in an interview with Bandon gardaí, Mr Grozavu said: “Me and John were good friends, best friends. John was telling her that he loves her. He was serious about it. She sticks her fingers in his eyes, her nails into his eyes, and was trying to scratch him and she also tried to bite his shoulder. Imagine, he told her he loved her; she went mental.