Carrigaline murder-accused say they hit victim and kicked him after he fell on the ground

Ricardo Hoey said during Garda interview he pushed the deceased once and kicked him once when he was on the ground, court heard

Ricardo Hoey told gardaí he pushed the deceased once and kicked him once when he was on the ground. File picture: Dan Linehan

The two men accused of murdering a 29-year-old Carrigaline man who was allegedly punched and kicked on the ground near his home at Christmas 2022 told investigating gardaí the deceased was out in the middle of the road waving a bottle of wine and refusing to get out of the way of their car.

Memos of interviews were put into evidence before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the jury of six women and six men at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey, of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, Co Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy, of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both deny the single charge against them, namely that on December 28, 2022, at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, Co Cork, they did murder 29-year-old Matt O’Neill, contrary to common law.

Court heard Matt O'Neill was in the middle of the road waving a bottle of wine and refused to get out of the way. Picture courtesy of rip.ie.

Detective Garda Ian Breen gave evidence on Tuesday of memos of Garda interviews with Jordan Deasy, who was arrested at a flat in Crosshaven on New Year’s Eve, 2022. Jordan Deasy said he was a passenger and Mr Hoey was driving his car.

Me and Ricardo were driving in Glenwood. He [the late Matt O’Neill] was standing in front of the car. He would not get out of the way of the car. He wouldn’t move. We were telling him to move. He was waving his bottle.

“Ricardo was beeping him first. He was swinging a bottle around by the windscreen.

“Ricardo pushed him. I hit him. He fell to the floor. Ricardo kicked him. I hit him when he was on the floor again. We got back in the car. I realised I dropped my phone. I went back and got my phone.” 

Jordan Deasy was asked about Mr O’Neill falling and whether he hit his head and he replied: 'It could have been on his head, I am not sure.' File picture: Cork Courts Limited

Memos of an interview with Ricardo Hoey were put in evidence earlier, where he stated he pushed the deceased once and kicked him once when he was on the ground.

Mr Deasy was asked about Mr O’Neill falling and whether he hit his head and he replied: “It could have been on his head, I am not sure.” 

He said of the deceased: “He was waving the bottle at us. I thought he was going to hit us with it… I just want to say to Matt [who was in a coma in hospital at the time of interview] I did not mean for it to end up that way.” 

Det Garda Breen said Jordan Deasy cried shortly after that and asked: “Can I talk to my mam? I did not mean to put the feen in a coma… He was walking towards me with the bottle. I hit him before he hit me.” 

Mr Deasy was asked about the kick Ricardo gave the deceased to the head and the detective suggested to him: “It must have been massive.” 

He replied: “It wasn’t massive but it wasn’t soft either, it seemed hard.” Asked if Mr O’Neill was breathing when he [Mr Deasy] went back to pick up his phone he replied: “I think so. He wasn’t awake.”

The trial continues.