Key prosecution witness not sure who committed killing

The jury in the trial of a Clonmel man accused of murdering his former girlfriend's new boyfriend has heard that the key prosecution witness told a friend that she was not sure who committed the killing.

Alex Freiberg (aged 30), of Bridgewater House, Clonmel, denies murdering 45-year-old Mr Cambridge at Carrigeen Close, Clonmel, Co Tipperary on August 16, 2007.

The prosecution say that Mr Freiberg entered Catherine Shanahan's house armed with two knives. He threatened her downstairs and then went upstairs and fatally stabbed Mr Cambridge who was in bed.

Louise Maguire told Frank Quirke BL (with David Sutton SC), defending, that Ms Shanahan told her that she was not sure who came into the house that night.

Under cross examination by David Humphries BL (with Michael Durack SC), prosecuting, Ms Maguire said she knew that the information was important but she did not tell gardaí because she did not want to get involved in a murder trial.

She said she presumed Ms Shanahan would tell gardai herself. Asked why she did not go to gardaí once the trial was approaching, she replied: "they never asked me".

She accepted that she had made statements to gardaí in relation to the case but about other matters. She said that Ms Shanahan had not told her about her doubt at the time she made her statements.

Ms Maguire said she came forward when she heard that Ms Shanahan was saying that Mr Freiberg was the person who came into her house. She called Ms Shanahan a liar and said other people could come forward with similar information but won't.

Ms Maguire accepted that Mr Frieberg was a good friend of her boyfriend, Thomas Guiry, and that Mr Frieberg had arrived at her house in the early hours following the incident where he washed himself and his clothes. She said this was "not unusual".

Closing speeches are expected to be heard tomorrow before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of seven men and five women. The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Monday.