Man died after being stabbed three times, trial hears

A Co Dublin man died after being stabbed three times, the Deputy State Pathologist told a murder trial jury today.

Dr Michael Curtis was giving evidence in the trial of a 23-year-old Dublin man accused of murdering James Joyce, aged of St Cronins Close, Swords, Co Dublin on July 22, 2010.

Daniel McCormack, of Kenure Park, Rush, Co.Dublin has pleaded not guilty of murder, but guilty to manslaughter. This plea was not accepted by the State.

Dr Curtis, Deputy State Pathologist, told prosecuting counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC that he carried out the post mortem examination on Mr Joyce on July 23, 2010. He said that Mr Joyce suffered three stab wounds, one near the right collar bone and two on the upper right arm.

Dr Curtis said that the wound to the upper right chest nicked an artery and punctured the right lung, causing it to collapse. Witness said that the stab wound to the chest was the main cause of death while the injuries to the right arm were contributing factors.

He was asked to inspect two knives and said either of them could have caused the wounds to Mr Joyce.

Mr Joyce died of his injuries at Beaumont Hospital at around 10.20pm on July 22 last year.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Mr Brendan Grehan SC, Ms Margaret Jones, (aged 23), who is a former girlfriend of Mr McCormack, told the court that Mr McCormack never had any problems with Mr Joyce and that they would sometimes drink together.

Ms Jones said she was pregnant with Mr McCormack's child at the time and when her former boyfriend discovered this he beat up another man.

It is in the defence counsel's case that Mr Joyce blamed Mr McCormack for this beating.

Ms Jones told the court that her former boyfriend was threatening Mr McCormack and said he was on the way to "smash up the house".

Upon hearing this Mr McCormack armed himself with two knives and went to help his friend who had been beaten up but ended up in an argument with Mr Joyce.

The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of seven men and five women.