Friend spoke to hit-and-run accused on phone, court told

A friend of a man charged in connection with a fatal hit and run told a court yesterday he had phoned the accused and spoken to him on the morning of the crash.

Stephen Murphy, from Kanturk, Co Cork, said the accused, Shane Fitzgerald, told him, at around 4.30am on July 1, 2012, he was “stranded” at a house party in Ballydesmond.

Mr Fitzgerald, aged 22, of Upper Knockeen, Knockduff, Meelin, Newmarket, Co Cork, denies dangerous driving causing the death of Paud O’Leary, a father of four, at Scrahanfadda, Gneeveguilla, Co Kerry, on July 1, 2012.

The Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee previously heard a grey Toyota Land Cruiser, suspected of being involved in the incident, had been seen on CCTV leaving Killarney at around 5am, on the same date, heading east towards Gneeveguilla and Ballydesmond.

According to Garda evidence, the crash occurred at around 5.15am, some 16km from Killarney.

Mr Murphy, now living in Australia, said he would have previously travelled with the accused in a grey Toyota Land Cruiser and another vehicle to which the accused had access.

On the evening of June 30, he attended a 21st birthday party, in Meelin, for two or three hours from 6pm or 7pm. After that, he went to the High St Bar and then to the Hi-land Nightclub in Newmarket, where he spent the night with friends.

Mr Murphy said he went back to the house in Meelin, had more drinks, and stayed there until 7am or 8am.

Replying to Tom Rice, prosecuting, he said his mobile phone did not ring, but he phoned Shane Fitzgerald at around 4.30am, because they lived in the same area. Mr Fitzgerald told him he was stranded in Ballydesmond. He spoke to Mr Fitzgerald three or four times.

Cross-examined by Brian McInerney, for the defence, Mr Murphy agreed he had consumed an “enormous amount of drink” and was confused about what had happened. He also accepted his recollection was unreliable “to a certain degree”.

The trial is set to resume on Tuesday.