Murder accused tells court victim's girlfriend started fight

A man accused of murdering his friend at a New Year’s Eve celebration sent a text after the stabbing saying his friend had jumped on him and his "rat bird" had started it all.

Karl Breen (aged 27), with an address at Kearns Court, Kilmainham, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his friend Martin McLaughlin (aged 21), who lived at Cherrywood Park, Clondalkin.