‘Homeless man called paedophile by accused’

A murder trial witness said the accused first jokingly called a 59-year-old homeless man a paedophile and a kiddy-fiddler, then said it seriously and assaulted him, dragged him out of a flat, and came back saying “he has gone down the drain”.

The jury heard testimony that the accused man punched the other man hard into the face and that the victim said nothing and did nothing to protect himself

That was the evidence from a man described by Mr Justice Paul Carney as a critical witness in the case against David O’Loughlin, aged 28, with an address at Garden City Apartments, North Main St, Cork, who is accused of murdering Liam Manley, age 59, at those apartments on May 12, 2013. Mr Manley’s remains were found in a refuse chute which ran from the top of the four-floor complex to the ground floor.