Publican thinks he saw a third man

A Limerick publican thought he saw a third man at the scene of a fatal stabbing outside his pub two years ago, a murder trial has heard.

Christopher O'Callaghan(21), of O'Malley Park, Southill, Limerick has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Fitzpatrick (19) of Yeats Avenue, Kincora Park, Southill outside the Olympic Arms pub on Roxboro Road on 25th June 1999.

In cross-examination in the witness box today(Thurs) in the Central Criminal Court trial, Mr James Crowe, proprietor of the Olympic Arms pub, accepted that in his original statement to gardai made the day after the incident, he said he saw a third man as he was approaching Michael Fitzpatrick and Christopher O'Callaghn, who were having a fist fight on a walkway outside the pub.

The man was standing in a position where the fight had just moved from.

Mr Crowe agreed that his original statement read: "I noticed a third fellow in the middle of the steps. He was not involved in the row from what I saw. I didn't see the third fellow until I came closer. I have no doubt he ran when he saw me."

Later, his statement continues: "The man I described as the third fellow, he was wearing a dark red cardigan. I only got a glance of him but he definitely was there."

Cross-examined by defence lawyer, Mr Brendan Nix SC, Mr Crowe said he had thought he saw a silhouette of a man and told the gardai about it. When he saw his original statement six months ago he told his solicitor it was wrong, he said.

He made a further statement to gardai on July 4th last in which he said he thought he saw the man, but it was just a fleeting glance.

In the course of the cross-examination, Mr Justice O'Higgins asked Mr Crowe: "Do you think today that you saw someone there?"

"That's the thing, I'm not sure. It was only a fleeting glance like that and I can't be sure on that", Mr Crowe replied.

The trial continues today before Mr Justice O'Higgins.