'We just beat him to death. We just kept beating him," Cork court hears in garda testimony

A Cork man co-accused of beating a man into a coma who died nine months later admitted to gardaí that he and his friend "just beat him to death", a court heard today.

Mr Paul Sheehan (aged 21), The Glen, Cork and Mr Ross Stapleton (aged 21) also of The Glen, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Christian Scully (aged 28) Togher, Cork on October 17, 2002.

Mr Scully was on a life support machine after being set upon by youths at Sober Lane in the city centre in the early hours of January 28 before he suffered a cardiac arrest nine months later and died on October 17, 2002.

Today Sgt John Quiltar told the jury in the murder trial that he arrested Mr Stapleton on January 30 2002. Ms Mary Ellen Ring, prosecuting counsel read out the statement that Mr Stapleton gave in the presence of Sgt Quiltar.

After Mr Stapleton was ejected from the Temple night club on the night in question, he and his friend saw "a fella standing up bit from the doorway", he told gardaí.

"I remember an argument taking place but I'm not sure if I started the argument or my friend did. I didn't know him, I never met him before," Mr Stapleton said.

"We just beat him to death. We just kept beating him. We used out fists and legs," Mr Stapleton told the gardaí.

"We just kept hitting him and beating him, hitting and beating him and standing on him.

"When we lifted him up his face was like a tap, there was blood everywhere", Mr Stapleton told gardaí.

When Sgt Quiltar asked Mr Stapleton why he attacked Mr Scully, he said: "I don't know why, I just lost the head completely. Just tell him I'm sorry".

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler.