A MAN charged with manslaughter after attacking a man in a bar went home to change his bloodstained clothes before going out to drink again, a court in Waterford heard yesterday.
Patrick Ryan (47), St Martin's Avenue, Waterford city, was attacked at a bar following the Waterford-Cork All-Ireland senior quarter-final hurling fixture in July 2005.
He suffered a cardiac arrest hours later at J&J's bar, also known as The Briar Rose, -Ferrybank, Waterford.
Mr Ryan, who sustained a dislocated finger, a fractured nose and an injury to his chest and ribs, had to get a blood transfusion following the assault because he lost so much blood in the incident.
Edward Daly (29), Belmont Heights, Ferrybank, is charged with the manslaughter of Mr Ryan at the Circuit Criminal Court in Waterford. He attacked him because Mr Ryan and a friend "were trying to get off with" Mr Daly's wife, Caroline, the court heard.
When questioned about the attack in July 2005, Mr Daly told Insp John Hunt: "I was looking at them and he [ Mr Ryan] was going to the jacks. I hit him a nut in the head - I said, 'Don't be looking at my wife'," the court heard yesterday.
"I hit him another dig as he was falling . . . when I saw the blood, I left because I had a white top on me."
He added: "I got so paranoid with the amount of blood, I just ran out. I went home to get changed, then I went down to Flynn's [ bar]," continued Mr Daly.
Mr Ryan, who had a heart condition prior to the attack, died on September 10th, 2005. Mr Daly has already pleaded guilty to carrying out an assault causing harm to Mr Ryan.
Yesterday's was the second day of the trial before Judge Olive Buttimer and a jury.