Court hears details of violent killing in Cork flat

A man was stabbed 10 times in the neck as he sat on a sofa in his flat, it was claimed yesterday as the victim’s friend was put on trial for murder.

A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in to hear the case against Keith Nagle (aged 21) of Churchfield Green, Cork who is charged with the murder of Gerard O’Mahony (aged 22) at a flat in Parkview, Wellington Road, Cork, between April 21 and April 22, 2006.

When he was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork today, Nagle replied: “Not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter.”

Prosecution senior Counsel Tom Creed said: “That plea is not acceptable to the Director (of Public Prosecutions).”

Mr O’Mahony, a native of Mount Nebo Avenue in Gurranabraher, was found dead in his rented flat on the morning of April 22, 2006.

He had been seen minutes before midnight the previous night buying drink at an off-licence in St Luke’s with the accused man, Keith Nagle.

Tom Creed SC told the jury at the opening of the case: "The two lads stayed in the living room. Nagle stabbed Gerard O’Mahony on the left side of the neck.

"There were stab wounds between the ear and neck. Some severed the carotid artery, some severed the jugular vein.

"Effectively, Gerard O’Mahony bled to death having been stabbed. There were no defensive wounds on Gerard O’Mahony.

"He was sitting on the sofa. He was stabbed from behind by Keith Nagle and he died as a result.

"The prosecution case is that he intended to kill him or cause him serious injury. That is a matter for you to decide having heard the evidence."

The jury was told that on the afternoon of April 21, the late Mr O’Mahony was in town with his flatmate, Darren Doorhy.

They had something to eat, they went to the gym and they returned to the flat at 7 or 8 pm with a few cans of beer.

Mr Dooley left at 9.15pm, with a view to meeting Mr O’Mahony the following morning and going to watch a football match on television at a pub in Douglas, Co Cork.

Instead Mr Doorhy arrived back at the flat to find his friend sitting slumped over side of the coach and he could not get him to respond.

An ambulance was called and Mr O’Mahony was formally certified dead at 11.35am that morning.