Man told gardaí he didn't mean to kill

A man accused of murdering a profoundly deaf young man told gardai that he repeatedly punched the victim but that he never intended to kill him, a garda witness told the Central Criminal Court today.

Det. Inspector Gerard Healy of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation was giving evidence in the trial of William Roche, (aged 23), with an address at Millstream, Killaloe, Co Clare. Mr Roche has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 21-year-old John Carroll of Cappaghmore, Co Limerick on December 4, 1998 at Garraun, Ballinahinch, Newport, Co Tipperary.

The witness said when he interviewed the accused on December 5, 1998, Limerick's Henry Street garda Station the accused told him he had met John Carroll shortly after 6pm on the day of the killing. His then girlfriend, Ms Bernadette Fitzgerald had introduced Mr Carroll to him on the street and the two walked down to the local pub where they played a game of darts.

A second man not before the court joined them later in the pub. The accused told gardai that he left the pub with John Carroll and went to Ms Fitzgerald's sister's house in a nearby housing estate.

He said the second man "went to hit" John Carroll. "I lost my head altogether" and kicked John Carroll "a few times in the lower belly". Inspector Healy told the jury that , in a signed statement, the accused said he put the injured man into the back seat of a car driven by the second man with the intention of taking him to Limerick Regional Hospital.

The accused got in the back seat beside Mr Carroll and a third person sat in the front passenger seat. Instead of heading towards the Limerick Regional, the driver took the back roads and turned up a long, narrow lane towards Birdhill. "We changed our mind because John Carroll said he knew too much about us" and he might go to the gardai about the assault, the statement read.

"When we turned into the lane Carroll went mad and hit me a box in the jaw. I then punched him and punched him." He said the second man ordered him to lift Mr Carroll out of the car. "He as kind of lifeless and I tried to make him stand," according to the statement.

The second man took "a chrome ratchet handle with a square piece on top" from the boot of his car and hit Mr Carroll two or three times on the side of the face.

"John Carroll groaned like 'ah, ah'" and fell to the ground, the statement read. The accused then said "leave him there and get out of here". The three drove to a takeaway in Limerick and had a burger before going to a friend's house.

The accused told gardai that the second man warned the woman in the car that "if she ratted he would kill her". Det Inspector Healy told the jury that Mr Roche said "John Carroll was moving slightly when we left him". He "kind of knew he was going to die" but he was not sure.

"I never intended to kill that man," the accused allegedly said. "It was not over jealousy or because I loved Ber (Ms Fitzgerald).

"I'll remember John Carroll was the rest of my life and I wish to God it didn't happen," the accused allegedly said.

Det Inspector Healy denied suggestions by the prosecution that Mr Roche had not made those admissions in custody. It was put to the witness that gardai had told the accused they wanted to go back to the boy's family and say they got someone for it.

"If he said that he will be telling lies, My Lord" the witness replied.

The trial continues tomorrow.