Jury in murder case sent home for weekend

The jury in the trial of a Lithuanian man accused of murder has been sent home until Monday morning so matters which have arisen in its absence can be dealt with.

Mr Justice George Birmingham told the jury of six men and six women that the issue would be explored in its absence.

Mantas Pauliukonis, a 25 year-old father of one, with an address at Park West Crescent, Clondalkin has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Aleksandrs Filusins at Oaklands Avenue, Swords on 3 June, 2007.

He also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Sergej Cuksejev causing him harm at Taylor's Public House in Swords on the same date.

Mr Filusins' femoral artery was severed when he was stabbed in the leg. He suffered massive blood loss and died in hospital.

It is the prosecution's case that the accused man stabbed the deceased following a altercation at a disco in Swords.

The trial will resume on Monday morning.