Dublin man faces trial for murder and assault

Mr Justice Paul Carney has begun charging the jury in the Central Criminal Court trial of a 42-year-old Dublin man accused of murdering a father of two in north Dublin three years ago.

Mr Peter Dolan of Tulip Court, Darndale denies murdering Mr Raymond Brown during a disturbance at Clonshaugh Drive in Coolock on April 2nd 2005. He also denies assaulting Mr Emmett Taaffe on the same occasion.

During the trial the jury heard that the disturbance began when Mr Brown and Mr Taaffe attacked a group of teenagers with a baseball bat after Mr Taaffe's brother was hit with a crutch earlier that night.

Mr Dolan became involved when his friend Noel Courtney stepped in to defend his son who had become involved in the fighting.

During his charge Mr Justice Carney told the jury that they would have to consider the defences of self defence and provocation.

He warned them that they must consider if Mr Dolan had acted in a way that was not reasonable according to his individual circumstances when considering the murder charge.

The jury of seven women and five men will begin their deliberations in the morning.