Three new-age travellers had a "tacit agreement" to remove a Portuguese man from a caravan site when they allegedly beat him to death, a prosecution lawyer told a murder trial jury yesterday.
At the Central Criminal Court, Mr Paddy McCarthy SC, was addressing the jury at the beginning of the trial of three Britons accused of the murder of 43-year-old Sergio Abru.
Mr Graeme Turnbull (36), with an address at Ballyhooley Rd, Cork, Mr Steven Job (31) of Whiting Bay, Ardmore, Co Waterford and Mr Stuart Spicer (28), with an address at Ballyquin, c/o Ardmore Post Office, have all pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Abru at Clashanahy, Ardmore, Co Waterford, between September 6th and 7th, 2002.
The court heard that one of the accused, Mr Spicer, had begun a relationship with the former partner of the deceased, Ms Miriam Rooney, at a time when Mr Abru was in prison on charges of assaulting her.
A month after his release, on September 6th, he was seen arguing with Ms Rooney in Youghal but later accompanied her and Mr Spicer to a caravan park in Whiting Bay.
"There were a number of caravans where Mr Turnbull, Mr Job and Mr Spicer lived," Mr McCarthy told the jury. Mr Abru and the rest of a group, which included the three accused men, were in one of the caravans "drinking and getting on well".
"After a while, a row appears to have developed because the deceased made some remarks or comments about Ms Rooney," Mr McCarthy continued.
Mr Turnbull "didn't like the remarks" and invited Mr Abru outside where a fight broke out.
"Mr Turnbull struck the deceased and he went to the floor," he said.
The prosecution allege that Mr Spicer and Mr Job heard the noise and came from their caravans to join in the fight, beating and kicking Mr Abru as he lay on the ground. An iron bar was also used in the fight.
The following morning, Mr Abru's badly beaten body was discovered in a field nearby and evidence will be heard that he died from fractures of the skull and bleeding into the brain.
"This was a joint and concerted effort to remove Mr Abru from the site," Mr McCarthy said. "The evidence will establish that excessive force was used... and the only inference that can be made is that they intended to cause serious injury to the deceased."
The trial continues today before Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins and a jury.