Taxi driver pleaded for help from group of girls

A taxi driver who was stabbed to death pleaded for help from a group of teenage girls who watched helplessly as he was repeatedly attacked, the Central Criminal Court heard today.

Carlos Byrne (aged 22) and Lindsey Fahy (aged 25), both of Linnetsfield square, Clonee, Co. Meath deny murdering Mark Smith (31) at Fortlawn, Blanchardstown, Dublin on March 18, 2008.

A Dublin teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court via video link that on the night of the incident she was in her friends front garden at Fortlawn when the stabbing occurred.

She said: "The taxi driver was being stabbed all over his chest and face and he said to us: ‘Please will somebody help me'.’’

It is the prosecutions case that Carlos Byrne and Lindsey Fahey, met up with Mr Smith at Linnetsfield and were then driven by Mr Smith to Fortlawn. When they arrived Mr Byrne repeatedly stabbed Mr Smith in a frenzied attack and Lindsey Fahey aided and abetted the principal offender by her presence and encouragement as well as her physical involvement.

The young witness told the court that she went into her friend’s house to get help, the police were rung and her friend’s cousin Alan Fahey came out onto the street and took the knife from Mr Byrne.

She said: "I saw Alan Fahey walk towards Carlos and they were talking about something and then he grabbed the knife off Carlos."

The court heard that after Mr Byrne had been disarmed he continued attacking Mr Smith, repeatedly punching him in the face.

The teenage girl said: "Carlos started to punch the taxi-driver when Allen took the knife off him, he was on top of him and it looked like he was punching him in the face."

Raymond Donnelly, who was driving in the Fortlawn area on the night of the incident said he saw Mr Byrne covered in blood and wielding a knife.

He said: "He crossed the path of my car and he was covered in blood, his face was 70% covered in blood and he was wielding a knife, about three or four inches in length."

Ray O’Gorman, a resident of Fortlawn, told the jury that on the night of the incident he witnessed, from the window of his home, Mr Byrne brutally stab Mr Smith and Ms Fahy stamp on his chest.

He said: "I saw a man brutally stabbed by Carlos then Lindsey Fahy came up the road and held onto the gate and was stamping on the man who was on the ground."

The trial continues before Mr Justice Butler and a jury of six men and six women.