Jury sworn in at Dublin builder murder case

A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court to hear the trial of Karl Breen who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 21-year-old building labourer Martin McLaughlin.

Breen with an address at Kearns Court, Kilmainham, Dublin, was 25 when he was charged with murdering Mr McLaughlin following an incident at Jurys Inn Hotel on January 2, 2006.

The jury of 10 men and two women heard the case involves an incident in Jurys Inn Hotel near Croke Park where Mr McLaughlin received injuries from which he later died in Mater Hospital.

The court heard many witnesses in the case come from the Clondalkin area where Breen and Mr McLaughlin were from.

The case before Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins is expected to take two weeks.

Mr Brendan Grehan SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, is expected to open the case to the jury after lunch.