Man found in bed with 13 stab wounds, Cork trial hears

A 28-year-old Cork man was found lying on his own bed with 13 stab wounds after he was murdered during a robbery, it was claimed today at the opening of the first murder trial in Cork city in the history of the State.

Frank Cunningham (aged 20) from 71 Bridevalley View, Fairhill, Cork, faces a charge of murdering Patrick Walsh at the deceased’s home at 62 Fair Hill Drive, Cork, between 9.30pm on May 26, 2004, and 5am on May 27, 2004, contrary to common law, and robbery of cash from the late Mr Walsh.

“The motive for the murder was robbery. A sum of cash was stolen from the deceased,” Denis Vaughan Buckley, senior counsel for the prosecution, said at the opening of the case at the Central Criminal Court in Cork.

The dead man’s brother, Thomas, went into the locked bedroom before 5am and saw his brother, Patrick, lying on the bed covered in blood, Mr Vaughan Buckley said.

Seven men and five women were sworn in to hear the case at the courthouse on Washington Street.

It is estimated that the case could go on for two weeks. Father of the Cork Bar, Donal McCarthy BL, welcomed Mr Justice Paul Carney for this first session of the Central Criminal Court in Cork.

The President of the Southern Law Association, Jerome O’Sullivan, said the presence of Mr Justice Carney and the Central Criminal Court in Cork was a great benefit to the administration of justice in Cork.

Mr Justice Carney described it as a very historic occasion.

The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Finnegan, made the decision to have trials including murder and rape heard in regional courts.

Before that decision was made all such cases were heard exclusively in Dublin at the Central Criminal Court.

Over the past two years more than 10 murder trials have taken place outside Dublin, as part of this initiative, in courthouses at Limerick, Castlebar, Ennis and Sligo.