A man accused of murdering his sister's boyfriend yesterday said sorry to the victim's mother at his trial at the Central Criminal Court.
"I'd like to say sorry to Mrs Moore for any trouble I've caused her," John Paul Hayes said.
Her son, Francis Moore, died on the balcony of his home at Coultry Road, Ballymun, Dublin, after receiving 39 stab wounds. Mr Hayes (23), of Belcamp Green, Coolock, Dublin denies murdering Mr Moore on June 13th, 1999. The wounds that I gave him, he'd have lived," Mr Hayes told the court.
On Monday, Mr Hayes told Mr Paul McDermott SC, prosecuting, he stabbed the man three times before a second man grabbed the knife and attacked the victim.
Mr McDermott today suggested this was not the case, but that Mr Hayes attacked Mr Moore when he was unable to defend himself and "stabbed him repeatedly, and even struck more blows to him on the balcony". Mr Hayes denied this saying, "that's incorrect".
Mr Hayes said he could not account for what allegedly happened when this second man got involved in the attack. "I didn't take any notice, I was in shock," he said. "I'd never seen anything like that in my life."
The court previously heard that Mr Hayes was staying at the flat where his sister and her boyfriend, Mr Moore, were living. Prior to the killing there had been "serious difficulties and violence" between Mr Moore and the sister of the accused.
Mr Moore hit her with a bunch of keys in his fist during one violent argument and she moved out. A week later Mr Moore was found dead on the balcony of the flat.
An independent forensic scientist from the UK, Dr Catherine Tweedy, gave evidence that one of two knives used in the attack could have been held in a defensive motion. She studied the knife for fingerprints and observed a partial palm-print on one knife.
Dr Tweedy told Mr Peter Finlay SC for the defence that she "can't specify on the position of the wrist when gripping the knife" as arm and wrist movements could affect this. She accepted that it was as possible to be a "defensive motion as an offensive motion".
The court has previously heard evidence from a ballistics expert that this palm-print matched that of Mr Hayes.
The trial continues today before a jury and Mr Justice Smith.