Eleven witnesses refuse to testify in assault trial

A man whose bowel and intestines were left protruding from his body in an attack seven years ago has refused to give evidence at the trial of a man accused of stabbing him.

"I don't want to give evidence in this trial. I just want to move on with my life and forget about everything," he said after taking the oath in the witness box of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A procession of 10 other civilian witnesses followed him to the witness box and each one after taking the oath ritually refused to give evidence, all using similar forms of words, "With due respect to the court, I do not wish to give evidence", "I just don't wish to give evidence today", "It was a long time ago".

Darren Duff (aged 36), with an address at Doon Court, Poppintree has pleaded not guilty to assault causing serious harm to Mr Stephen McCann on July 28, 2001, at Hillcrest Estate, Lucan.

Mr McCann and the 10 other civilian witnesses all agreed with prosecuting counsel, Ms Melanie Greally BL, that they had previously made voluntary statements about the incident to gardaí. One of them said he couldn't remember what was in his statement because it was made "a long time ago".

Defence counsel, Mr Patrick MacEntee SC (with Mr Laurence Masterson BL), was told by several of the witnesses that nobody had asked them to decline to give evidence.

One them replied "no" when Mr MacEntee asked her "Did you agree your choice of words with anyone?"

Ms Greally told the jury in opening the trial that Mr McCann was walking at Hillcrest Way at about 3am on July 28, 2001, when they heard loud screaming and encountered an incident in which a young woman was being subjected to physical violence by a man in the front garden of a house.

Counsel said Mr McCann intervened and became involved in a struggle with the man until his friend "prised him away" and they resumed their walk home.

Ms Greally said that a few minutes later Mr McCann turned to find a man running at him and he then felt a sharp pain in his body and found a lump developing under his t-shirt which was caused by a piece of his intestines and bowel protruding from his body.

Gardai and an ambulance were called and Mr McCann was rushed to James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown where he underwent immediate emergency surgery for perforations of his bowel and colon.

"Thankfully, Mr McCann made a full recovery," Ms Greally said.

The hearing continues before Judge Frank O'Donnell and a jury of seven women and five men.