THE father of three accused of murdering his wife's lover told the Central Criminal Court yesterday he regretted what had happened.
Mr Michael Murphy (34), a carpenter, described how he became furious when he saw his wife's lover at the door of his house, grabbed a heavy fencing post from the ground and chased him 200 yards and swung the post at him once or twice.
"I said to him, `I told you to keep away from my family'. I dropped the post and ran backs towards my own house," he told the jury of 10 men and two women.
Mr Murphy, of Strand Street, Tralee, Co Kerry, was giving evidence on the third day of his trial. He is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr David Ryle, a bachelor and labourer, of Graigue, Ardfert, Co Kerry, between January 4th and 5th, 1995.
Mr Murphy told his counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, that all the lies and deceit he had encountered during his wife's affair with the dead man had been eating him up inside.
He said in evidence he had hoped for a reconciliation with his wife after she had gone to England for the Christmas. But when she returned she refused to talk to him. He had gone to his flat in Tralee but after drinks in a number of pubs he felt a bit down and felt if he could speak to her it might sort things out.
Mr Murphy said he drove to his home in Lerig but became furious when he saw Mr Ryle standing at the door. He confronted him and swung the post at him but missed and then followed him the 200 yards to the door of a neighbour's house where he again confronted him.
He told Mr Sammon he would describe himself as an even tempered man but agreed he had acted in an extraordinarily violent fashion that night.
He said he had gone back to his own house afterwards but his wife had slammed the door closed against him. He kicked in the glass panel and opened the door.
Linda, his 10 year old daughter, told him her mother had taken them to Ardfert earlier and sent them into pubs looking for Mr Ryle.
Cross examined by prosecution counsel, Mr Gregory Murphy SC, the accused man denied he had gone to his home that night for a showdown with Mr Ryle.
The trial before Mr Justice Morris is expected to conclude today.