Witness tells of nightclub brawl

A promotions company steward who was working at a popular disco on the night an 18-year-old student was kicked to death has told a jury he saw a youth wearing similar clothes to the deceased punch another youth before a big fight broke out.

John Wall, who was working for Julian Benson Promotions at Club Anabel's in the Burlington Hotel on the night Mr Brian Murphy died, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he at first thought the group were play-acting because they seemed to know each other.

Shortly after he witnessed the punch, he saw the same youth crouched on the ground with a number of other youths standing over him. A huge fight then broke out and he said there were "punches coming from all angles".

Mr said he ran off to find one of disco's doormen but when he couldn't he returned to the front of the hotel and met the car park security guard, Mr William Crabtree.

They went out to the roadway but couldn't see anyone and he returned to the front of the hotel before he left to go home.

Mr Wall told the jury on day two of the trial that the person he had earlier seen throw the punch appeared to be the same youth who was later crouched on the ground because there was only one person wearing a maroon-coloured t-shirt there that night.

He said the t-shirt Mr Murphy was wearing on the night, which was shown to him in the witness box, was very similar to the one he saw in the disco.

Andrew Frame (aged 22), from Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dermot Laide (aged 22), from Rossvale, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, Sean Mackey (aged 23), from South Park, Foxrock, Co Dublin, and Desmond Ryan (aged 22), from Cunningham Road, Dalkey, have all pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Murphy at Sussex Road on August 31, 2000.

The four former Blackrock College pupils have also denied committing violent disorder by using or threatening to use unlawful violence on the same date.

Mr Crabtree told Mr Edward Comyn SC, prosecuting, that when he returned to the hotel three youths carried Mr Murphy, who was unconscious, up to him. He put him in the recovery position and was informed an ambulance had been called.

He went and got him a glass of water but he was incapable of drinking it because of his unconscious state.

Mr David Cooney, who attended Club Anabel's on the night with two of the accused, Mr Ryan and Mr Mackey, told the court that after the crowds came out at the end he saw one person punch Mr Mackey in the face. He didn't have a good view and went home soon after.

Members of the resuscitation team that treated Mr Murphy at St Vincent's Hospital shortly after 3.30am all said he was unconscious and unresponsive on his arrival. He was not breathing and his heart had stopped.

Dr Nik Hussain told Mr Brendan Grehan SC (with Mr Comyn), prosecuting, that the only physical injury she could see on Mr Murphy was a cut to his chin but he failed to regain consciousness and she pronounced him dead at 4.57am.

Mr Paul Nolan, a doorman working at Club Anabel's on the night, earlier told Mr John Edwards SC, for Mr Laide, that two men were ejected at about 1.30am but he couldn't say if it was any of the accused.

These youths were the only two who were hanging around outside for the night. He added that a number of people had been refused admission on the night but had left the area.

Mr Edwards told Mr Nolan there would be evidence that Mr Laide arrived with three friends but one of these was refused entry because he was not over 19 and Mr Laide was then also refused entry because he was "guilty by association".

Mr Edwards said his client was getting a lift home that night from a friend who was inside the club and therefore spent several hours waiting outside and had not had a single drink.

Mr Nolan replied that no one else was outside the club and the age limit for the night was over 18 and no one would have been told that could not go in because they were not over 19.

In his opening address to the jury, Mr Comyn said that Mr Murphy suffered a brain enlargement and died as a result of brain damage, inhalation of blood and multiple facial injuries, which were due to considerable violence being inflicted upon him.

The trial continues before Judge Michael White and a jury of eight men and four women.