Murder accused 'never meant to stab victim'

A 19-year-old Limerick man accused of murder at a house party had never meant to stick a kitchen knife into the victim, a trial has heard.

The Central Criminal Court court heard that there had been a lot of slagging going on and that the accused had merely intended to "prick" the deceased with the knife.

Keith McMahon of 108 Shanabooly Road, Ballynanty, Limerick, denies the murder of 18-year-old Edward Cully of Woodview Close, Limerick, on February 9, 2003.

On the fourth day of the trial, the Central Criminal Court heard that the accused, who sobbed during a taped Garda interview, was "deeply sorry" for what happened.

In the interview, evidence was heard that Keith McMahon had gone to a house at Merval Crescent, Clareview, Limerick, with Edward Cully and two other people.

They were sitting around a kitchen table calling each other names and slagging each other when the accused picked up a knife and put it up to Edward Cully's arm.

Keith McMahon said he would stick the knife into Edward Cully's arm and everyone was laughing about it, the court heard.

"I stuck it into his arm and I took it out and whatever way it moved - I don't know what happened - but it stuck into him again by accident."

The accused stood back and the others were asking him what he had done and Edward Cully just slumped on top of a coal press.

"I didn't mean to stab him - I just panicked. I never meant to hurt him."

The court heard that Keith McMahon then threw the knife into a sink and started roaring at the others to ring an ambulance as he ran out the door.

When asked by gardaí during the interview why they were slagging each other - Keith McMahon said everyone was talking about how they could beat each other in a fight.

"I was calling them muppets and they were calling me a scumbag."

The group of friends had often messed about with knives and the accused wasn't thinking about what he was doing, the court heard.

"I just stabbed him in the arm - I didn't mean to stick it in too hard. He turned towards me and the knife just went into him again."

Keith McMahon denied that he had come to the house with a knife and he also denied that he had been standing up having an argument with Edward Cully.

"I didn't mean to do anything at all - it just happened so fast."

During an earlier sitting, the Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, gave evidence that Edward Cully had suffered a fatal stab wound to the upper chest.

Evidence was also heard that Keith McMahon had called to friend's house shortly after Mr Cully was stabbed and told him he thought he "might have killed someone".

The murder trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick.