A young man gardaí interviewed as a witness to a fatal assault quickly became a suspect when he admitted: "I was there with them".
Mr Neal Barbour (20), Domville Road, Templeogue, agreed to make a statement at Terenure Garda station in relation to the death of Mr Brian Mulvaney.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Det Garda Donal Regan told Mr Tom O'Connell SC, prosecuting, that Mr Barbour made the admission shortly after coming to the station.
Mr Barbour and two others, Mr Brian Willoughby (24), Orwell Park, Templeogue, and a youth who cannot be named for legal reasons, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Mulvaney at Templeogue on March 11th, 2000.
In the statement, Mr Barbour said he saw Mr Willoughby dancing on the head of Mr Mulvaney.
Mr Mulvaney, who was from Firhouse, was found lying on the road with severe injuries to his head. He died a few hours later in Tallaght Hospital.
The witness read from a statement in which Mr Barbour told gardaí that he and the third named accused met Mr Willoughby outside the Orwell Shopping Centre after they had been to a 21st birthday party.
"Brian Willoughby said 'That fellow there is calling us queers . . . He hates Orwell'," Mr Barbour said.
Although he first referred to the assault as a "tussle" from which he ran, he later admitted than he had chased Mr Mulvaney and brought him to the ground.
"I caught him near the dirt track. I started to tussle with him," he said.
"I caught the back of his jumper. I grabbed this fellow and put him on the ground," he added.
Mr Barbour continued that he ran away when the fight got worse because he was afraid.
"I took a few steps back. Brian Willoughby was jumping and dancing on his head," he said. "I said: 'That's taking things a bit far'. I started to run".
Mr Barbour identified the stick that was used to beat Mr Mulvaney with, although he did not use it. The trial continues.