Wexford stab victim refused to make ‘dying declaration’
The jury at the trial of James Connors, aged 29, of Rosemount, Drinagh, Co Wexford, heard the opening day of evidence yesterday. Mr Connors pleaded not guilty to murdering James Ryan, aged 27, at an apartment in Hollyville Heights in Wexford Town on January 25, 2012.
In opening the trial, Gerard Clarke, prosecuting, said it is the State’s case that Mr Ryan died from puncture wounds to the torso.
Garda Leisha Fahey of Wexford Garda Station gave evidence that she arrived at the apartment in Hollyville Heights in the early hours of the morning on January 25, 2012. She agreed with Mr Clarke that she saw blood on the front door of the apartment and that she was let in by Mr Ryan’s girlfriend.
Once inside, she saw Mr Ryan lying on a couch with puncture wounds to his torso. She added: “He was extremely pale and was complaining about pain in the tops of his legs.” Garda Fahey said he did not have any wounds to the tops of his legs.
Garda Fahey also agreed with Michael Delaney, defending, that another garda who was present was concerned that Mr Ryan would die and asked him if he wanted to make a “dying declaration” as to who had caused his injuries.
Mr Delaney said “he refused to do so” and Garda Fahey agreed.
The jury was also shown a mini baseball bat implanted with metal studs that Garda Fahey said she recognised as having been seized at the scene by another garda.
Garda Padraig Hartigan of Wexford Garda Station told the court that he was on beat duty when he received a call to attend an alleged stabbing at an apartment at Hollyville Heights at about 12.30am on the same night.
Garda Hartigan said he was let in by Mr Ryan’s girlfriend and he saw James Ryan on the couch. “He was having difficulty breathing and he had a number of wounds to the chest area,” he said.
The trial continues in front of Justice Margaret Heneghan and the jury of seven men and five women today.
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