A witness at a manslaughter trial has claimed that vigilantes boasted after they beat and kicked an HIV-infected drug addict, Mr Josie Dwyer, to death.
Ms Karen Kennedy said she saw "a ring of men" kicking and punching Mr Dwyer as he lay on the ground. Some were carrying sticks and batons and one had a lump hammer. However, she admitted she had lied to gardai about her whereabouts on the night Mr Dwyer was killed.
Ms Kennedy told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on the fourth day of a hearing that one of the accused, Mr Mark Alford, was among the men involved in the attack in Basin Lane, Rialto. She said another accused, Mr Christy O'Shea, was standing at the top of the lane.
Six Dublin men deny killing Mr Dwyer (42) four years ago at Basin Lane on May 14th, 1996. They also deny assault causing actual bodily harm on Mr Alan Byrne and violent disorder on the same date.
The six are Mr William Kenny (55), St Anthony's Road; Mr John Kenny (40), Mr Martin Glynn (46) and Mr Christopher O'Shea (49), of Dolphin House; Mr Alan Kelly (36), of Fatima Mansions, all from the Rialto area, Dublin; and Mr Alford (30) of Seagull House, Crumlin.
Ms Kennedy agreed, when cross-examined by Mr Sean Gillane, for Mr Alford, she initially told gardai she was in Tallaght on the night Mr Dwyer was killed.
She also agreed she was held by gardai for nearly 24 hours before she named Mr Alford as one of the men who attacked him.
Mr Gillane put it to her that the Chief State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, had found no injuries on Mr Dwyer's body consistent with a sustained beating. Ms Kennedy said Prof Harbison needed "a second opinion".
She agreed, in further cross-examination by Mr Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, that Mr Kenny was away from a group of men who attacked Mr Byrne and Mr Dwyer.
Ms Sandra Doyle (19) said she saw about 20 people following Mr Dwyer and Mr Byrne though the Fatima Mansions flats complex. Some were carrying sticks.
She followed them to Basin Street and could see "loads of men" kicking the victims as they lay on the ground.
Mr George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, put it to Ms Doyle that she had signed a statement two days after Mr Dwyer's death in which she said that Mr William Kenny had beaten and kicked Mr Dwyer and Mr Byrne as they lay on the ground in Basin Lane. Ms Doyle said she did not remember making such a claim to gardai.
The trial continues.