Bloodstained knife discovered at murder accused's home, court hears

Garda witnesses have told the trial of a Wicklow man accused of murdering a shopkeeper in 2009, that a bloodstained knife and makeshift balaclava were discovered at his home two days after the killing.

Detective Garda Paul Cumiskey told the court he called to Anthony Farrell's home in Arklow on November 27, 2009, where the then 19-year-old butcher told him he had spent the evening of the 25th driving around the town with his friend.

Farrell also said he had passed Brauders shop on Coolgreany Road, where John Deasy had been fatally stabbed, during the drive but had noticed nothing unusual.

Several hours after this statement, Gardaí searched Farrell's home and discovered a bloodstained knife wrapped in a garden glove in a shed at the back of the house.

They also found tracksuit pants, runners, a hooded bodywarmer and a light blue Nike hat with three large holes cut out of the front in the style of a balaclava.

The court has heard that Farrell went to Brauders shop at 8pm on November 25, 2009 disguised in a balaclava and armed with a knife, and demanded money from Mrs Kay O'Conner, who was working there alone.

She opened the till and screamed for John Deasy, who owned the newsagents and who lived in an apartment overhead. He arrived in the shop, also armed with a knife, and a struggle between the two ensued.

The struggle moved out onto the middle of the road in front of the shop, where Farrell ran from the scene and Mr Deasy collapsed on the doorstep of the shop.

He had been stabbed once through the chest. The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told the jury that the 44-year-old sustained a 10cm deep wound that cut through his rib, almost fully severing the aorta, the main blood vessel to the heart.

His lungs filled with a litre and a half of blood as a result of the injury, and Professor Cassidy said Mr Deasy would have been capable of moving around for a short time after being stabbed, but death would have been rapid

She said “at least moderate force” would have been used, considering the knife had transected a rib, and that the wound was consistent with a “downward thrust to the chest.”

Professor Cassidy said the weapon would probably have been a broad, sturdy blade. When shown the knife recovered by Gardaí, she said she was of the opinion it “could have caused the fatal injury.”

There were no other notable marks or injuries to Mr Deasy she said, and no evidence of a prolonged struggle or assault.

During cross-examination by Farrell's defence counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, Professor Cassidy agreed that it was possible he would have been unaware he had stabbed Mr Deasy.

She said it was “quite common” in a stabbing incident that neither party would be aware the knife had gone in.

Mr O'Higgins also put it to Sergeant Patrick Carroll, who carried out the searches at Farrell's home, that it was “unusual, if not incredible” that Farrell had left the knife there, with blood visible on the blade.

Sergeant Carroll agreed it appeared as if there had been no effort to wipe the blade clean or to get rid of any of the items found.

Farrell (aged 20) of Marian Villas in Arklow, has denied murdering Mr Deasy. He has pleaded guilty to a second count of robbery at Brauders shop on November 25, 2009.

The trial resumes on Monday morning next before the jury of nine men and three women.