Teenager begged for life during stabbing and was 'stuffed into a suitcase', court hears

The trial of two Dublin men accused of the murder of teenager Daniel McAnaspie, who was in the care of the State at the time of his death three years ago, has heard his body was "stuffed into a suitcase" days after he was killed.

Trevor Noone (aged 25) admitted to gardaí he and Richard Dekker (aged 27) both put the body of Daniel into a suitcase days after he was stabbed and moved him from where he says Dekker hid the body in bushes.

Noone also admitted to gardaí that he did not stab Daniel but named Dekker as the one who did.

Noone and Dekker, both of Whitestown Avenue in Blanchardstown, have each pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of 17-year-old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown on February 26, 2010.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Brendan Grehan, BL, read out Noone's garda interview with Detective Patrick Traynor taken on May 25, 2010 to the jury. It was day five of the trial.

Noone showed gardaí where the stabbing of Daniel took place on a map. He also admitted to gardaí they both moved the body a few days later.

He said both him and Dekker wore doctor's surgery gloves when they went back to the scene to place Daniel's body into a three-foot suitcase. He said Dekker and another man made him get into the suitcase first in the other man's house.

“His (Daniel's) body was stiff and we both forced him into the case. I never wanted to do it,” Noone told gardaí.

He said Daniel was “on his side with his legs folded up to his chest,” when he was placed in the suitcase.

He said he wheeled Daniel's body in the case to an Audi A4 car, which another man drove away. He denied bringing the body to Rathfeigh in Co Meath, where it was found in a ditch three months later.

Noone admitted punching Daniel earlier in the night but that he was 'alright' afterwards and they both shook hands.

He told gardaí Dekker stabbed the teenager with a large knife “three or four times in the back and stomach.”

He said when Dekker stabbed Daniel, Daniel moaned 'Agggh' but that he did not scream out. He claims Daniel begged 'I'm sorry, give me another chance,” when Dekker stabbed him.

He claims Dekker was “laughing and had a mad look in his eyes” while stabbing the teenager. He told gardaí he “legged it” because he thought he would be next.

He claims he told Dekker to "leave it out," but that he did not try to physically stop him from stabbing Daniel.

“It was wrong – he's only a kid,” Noone told gardaí and said the teenager "did not deserve to die."

He told gardaí he “was sorry for the part I played. I'm not a killer.”

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