A MAN accused of murder was getting “a bit mixed up in his story”, a brother of the victim has told the Central Criminal Court.
Thomas O’Connor (23), Burnaby Heights, Greystones, Co Wicklow, is accused of murdering John O’Brien, Burnaby Lawns, on June 4th, 2010, at Farrankelly Road, Delgany, Co Wicklow. Mr O’Connor has pleaded not guilty.
Jimmy O’Brien told Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, that he and his brother Paddy went to visit Mr O’Connor after his mother told him a man had been found dead.
He said they asked him if he had heard about the incident to which he replied he “had heard something about it”.
Mr O’Brien said Mr O’Connor told them their brother met “Woods and Fat Jacob and John gave them a few slaps”. The brothers returned home and told their father what he had said.
He said he and his father James O’Brien returned to see Mr O’Connor who he said was “a lot slower answering the door”.
He told Mr Vaughan Buckley that Mr O’Connor “was getting a bit mixed up in his story”. Mr O’Connor then said “It wasn’t me, honest to God!”
“I was convinced it wasn’t him,” Mr O’Brien told the court.
He agreed with Michael O’Higgins SC, defending, that he struck Mr O’Connor “side on” giving him “a couple of hard clouts on the ear” and then “hit him in the ribs” and “under the chin.”
Mr O’Higgins asked Mr O’Brien if that was all and he replied: “I would have hit him a fair few after that.”
James O’Brien said he also met Mr O’Connor the day after the incident and asked him where he left John. Mr O’Connor told him he had left John at the roundabout, that “John was drunk and got into a fight with two fellas”.
“Thomas was very grey and nervous saying: ‘I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it’. At that stage we didn’t know who was on the road,” he said.
The trial continues on Monday before a jury and Mr Justice Barry White.