Trial of man accused of murdering father opens

A Dublin man accused of murdering his father allegedly told gardaí he “just wanted to hurt him as he raped my sister”, a jury heard at the Central Criminal Court heard today.

Garda Philip Gleeson was giving evidence on the first day of the murder trial of Gary Waters, aged 31, of Oliver Bond House, Dublin.

Mr Waters denies murdering his 59 year-old father Mr John Waters at their home on the night of 29 December 2001.

Garda Gleeson told the jury that when he arrived at Oliver Bond House flat complex on the night in question, he saw a man shouting on the third floor balcony, motioning him to come up. When he reached the flat, Garda Gleeson noticed “there was a man with his hands over his face, crying”.

“I saw a man’s body and a pool of blood around his head” he told the court.

“Gary Waters said ‘I didn’t mean to do it’ and asked me ‘was he going to be ok?’” Garda Gleeson said.

“I didn’t mean to do this, I just wanted to hurt him, as he raped my sister” Mr Waters allegedly said to him.

When questioned by Mr Brendan Grehan SC, defending, Garda Gleeson admitted Mr Waters was in a “very distressed state” and “he did start crying”.

In his opening statement for the prosecution, Mr Ciaran O’Loughlin SC told the court that on the night in question the Gardai received a 999 call from Mr Gary Waters saying he had stabbed his father.

Garda John McCann told the jury that he received the emergency call: “He said to me: ‘I’m after killing me Da, I’m after stabbing me Da” and I heard sobbing sounds on the phone” he said.

“I told him to hang on there, and I heard more sobbing sounds” he added. Garda McCann confirmed under cross-examination by defence counsel Mr Grehan SC that Mr Waters was in a “very distressed state” and was “sobbing and crying”.

The gardaí at Kevin St arrived at the scene and found an elderly man lying on the floor of the flat.

Two firefighters from Dolphin’s Barn fire station confirmed to the court that they found “absolutely none” of the vital signs of life on Mr John Waters’ body.

Mr Gary Waters was then arrested for assault and has been in custody since the incident.

Garda Liam Tobin also told the court that later in the Garda station the accused said to him “I only meant to hurt him, I don’t know what happened after that” and was very upset.

“He said ‘we had a fight, did I cut his throat? He’s dead isn’t he? I swear I didn’t mean to kill him’ and was very distressed.

The court heard from a neighbour that Mr John Waters had been living alone in the flat for about eight months prior to his death and that his son Gary would “call from time to time” and would stay over occasionally.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins at the Central Criminal Court.