Meath man was killed with hatchet in row over chihuahua

A man was killed with a hatchet in a row over a pedigree chihuahua that failed to father enough pups, a prosecution barrister told the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday.

Michael O'Higgins SC opened the trial of Wayne Cluskey (25), and Josh Turner (24), both of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath, who have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Christopher Nevin (27) at Tailteann Road, Navan on November 19th, 2015.

Mr O’Higgins said the two men were part of a “joint enterprise” and added: “They had a joint plan to inflict serious injury or death on Mr Nevin.”

Outlining the evidence the jury will hear, he said all three men lived in the Navan area and Mr Nevin owned a number of dogs, including three female chihuahuas which he wanted to use for breeding.

He got a male chihuahua from Mr Turner to “cover the three females”, but after two or three months only one of the chihuahuas was pregnant. He said Mr Nevin believed the pregnant chihuahua would provide him with only one pup and “there was a dispute as to what benefit Mr Turner would be entitled to”.

Mr O'Higgins said the jury would see CCTV footage of a silver Honda Civic car pulling up to the house at Tailteann Road at about 2pm on November 19th.

He said Mr Turner got out of the car first and knocked on a window. Mr Nevin came outside and the two men talked for a short time before Mr Turner is seen moving back with his arms up. He said at that point Mr Cluskey came into the picture and “began to strike Mr Nevin”.

He said the attack gained in ferocity and that Mr Nevin was struck with a hatchet. He later died from his injuries.

Mr Cluskey and Mr Turner left the scene in a car and later went voluntarily to Navan Garda Station. Mr O’Higgins said they put forward their justification for what happened and that they are not disputing that they were the “men in the attack”, seen on the CCTV footage.

Mr O’Higgins described the footage as “distressing”. The trial will continue on Thursday in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.