Wicklow murder trial hears deceased was 'abusive'

The trial of a man accused of murdering his friend has heard the deceased was “abusive” with everyone he came into contact with on the day he was killed.

Thomas O’Connor (aged 23) of Burnaby Heights in Greystones is accused of murdering John O’Brien of Burnaby Lawns on June 4, 2010.

Mr O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to committing the offence at Farrankelly Road, Delgany, Co. Wicklow.

A witness agreed with Mr Micheal O’Higgins SC defending that on the day of the incident, everyone Mr O’ Brien came into contact with, “he was abusive with”.

The witness told gardaí he met both the deceased and the accused outside a shop earlier that evening and Mr O’ Brien hit him.

The witness said he (O'Brien) also hit his friend “four or five times in the face” and also agreed Mr O'Connor had to pin Mr O’ Brien down and tell him “to calm down and stop hitting us”.

The witness further agreed with Mr O’ Higgins that in the time he and his friends were with Mr O’ Brien he tried to start a fight with him, his friend, the accused man Mr O’ Connor, a man in a red car and that he was abusive to a pizza man.

The witness' friend agreed with Mr O’Higgins that he had told gardaí: “John said he had a knife on him and he said he would slice us up like rats because that’s what happens in Wheatfield”. He also agreed John O’ Brien “attacked (the witness) out of nowhere”.

He agreed with Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC for the prosecution that he did not see John O’Brien with a knife, just that he said he had one.

He also agreed he had earlier told gardaí “John O’ Brien was really drunk” and he “thought Thomas O’Connor was drunk but he was acting normal”.

The trial continues before a jury of six men and six women presided over by Mr Justice Barry White.