Man fatally stabbed after going to Loughlinstown for a ‘straightener’, murder trial hears

A man who visited a Dublin suburb for a “straightener” was stabbed to death by the man he was there to fight, a barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

Róisín Lacey SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the jury at the opening of the trial of Andrew Lacey that they will also hear a recording of a call made by the accused to emergency services in which he can be heard saying to a friend at the scene, “what will we do, they jumped on us, yeah, we had no weapons”.

Counsel said the issue of self-defence may arise and that the prosecution case “in a nutshell” is that the accused knowingly used more force than was reasonably necessary.

Mr Lacey (35), of Riverside, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Derek Reddin (31) at Loughlinstown Drive between October 14th and 15th, 2019.

Laura Kennedy: It’s hard to put my finger on what’s different about the atmosphere in this gym

---

Gordon D'Arcy: Sexton’s leadership vacuum will be felt as Leinster can’t replicate the emotion of La Rochelle match

---

Love Lies Bleeding review: The best grubby, bloody lesbian thriller of the season

---

Test drive: BYD’s Seal-U SUV to come with hybrid power

---

Ms Lacey told the jury of eight men and four women that on October 14th, 2019, Mr Lacey spent a considerable part of the evening at the Lough Inn pub playing darts with a friend. They left and went to a takeaway next to the pub and were walking with their food towards Loughlinstown Drive at about 11.56pm when they “encountered” Mr Reddin and another man.

‘Not there by coincidence’

Ms Lacey said evidence will be heard that Mr Reddin was in Loughlinstown that night for “a straightener with Andrew Lacey”. Ms Lacey explained that he was there for a “fight” and was “not there by coincidence”.

She said there was a history of animosity and feuding between associates of both men. Mr Lacey fought Mr Reddin while his friend fought a friend of Mr Reddin’s, counsel said, and Mr Reddin received a fatal stab wound that penetrated his ribs, left lung and the right ventricle of his heart during the altercation.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster will tell the trial that Mr Reddin died from haemorrhage and shock due to a stab wound to the heart. Ms Lacey said analysis of the accused’s mobile phone showed that in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing he made two calls which did not connect and then received a call from one of the numbers he had dialled.

The call lasted 45 seconds and was followed by a call from Mr Lacey to emergency services at a minute and 30 seconds after midnight. Counsel said the accused asked for police and said he was “being chased with knives and baseball bats” before his phone went dead.

Ms Lacey said the accused and his friend then used the friend’s phone to take two photos and a short video of the scene where Mr Reddin was lying. They then used the friend’s phone to call 999 and Mr Lacey said “two people are after attacking me with a knife and a bat. I’m after grabbing a knife and turning it back into him”.

Counsel said the accused was then put on hold but was recorded by the emergency services talking to his friend. Reading from a transcript, counsel said the accused could be heard saying, “What will we do, they jumped on us, yeah. We had no weapons, we were eating from the chipper around the corner”.

Blood on knife

Ms Lacey said the jury will view CCTV footage and will hear from forensic experts about blood at the scene and DNA evidence. Blood with DNA matching Mr Reddin’s was found on a knife that was retrieved at the scene, counsel said. The knife could fold into its handle and the blade measured about 8.5cm and tapered to a sharp tip.

The accused was arrested and questioned at Shankill Garda station. Ms Lacey said he told gardaí that he had been returning from the pub when he was attacked by two men who “came out of the bushes”. He said he thought one of them was Mr Reddin and that he saw him pulling a balaclava over his face.

He said Mr Reddin struck him twice with a baseball bat and Mr Lacey took a “work knife” from his pocket. He said Mr Reddin lunged at him with a bat and Mr Lacey “had the knife open to repel Mr Reddin”.

Counsel said the accused then described a “scuffle” in which the accused and deceased fell to the ground and Mr Lacey said he was not aware that he had stabbed Mr Reddin.

In his Garda interviews, Mr Lacey said there had been trouble between his family and Mr Reddin, and that Mr Reddin must have mistaken Mr Lacey for one of his cousins. He said that he “never had any dealings” with Mr Reddin but did know him to see.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and a jury of eight men and four women.