Witness tells court he gave sword to brother

A prosecution witness has told a murder trial jury that he gave a sword to his brother two days before a man was hacked to death in Dublin.

Michael Hopkins was giving evidence in the trial of Paul Hopkins and Jacqui Noble who are jointly charged with murdering Derek Benson, Ms Noble’s former partner, in his Ballymun flat in May 2000.

In the Central Criminal Court today the witness identified the sword, described as a Chinese-type black handled sword.

He told the court he collected swords and at that time, it was one of a number that he owned.

Mr Hopkins said he was on drugs since 1997 and was taking heroin.

Asked by prosecution counsel Mr Tom O’Connell SC, if he knew Jacqui Noble and knew that his brother Paul was getting physeptone from her, he said he did.

He agreed that he also knew Derek Benson.

When asked who he sold the sword to, he replied: "As far as I know I sold it to a taxi man".

Asked who gave him the money, he replied "Paul".

Michael Hopkins recalled that he received £80 on Thursday, May 11 2000, two days before the killing.

The trial then went into legal argument in the absence of he jury.

Jacqui Noble, aged 38, of Knowth Court, Ballymun, Dublin and Paul Hopkins, aged 24, Sillogue Road, Ballymun have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Derek Benson, 33, at Sandy Hill Avenue Ballymun on May 13 2000.

The trial continues.