Two men accused of murdering a civil servant told a witness they "milled" a man, and left him lying in a pool of blood, a murder trial heard yesterday.
However, in evidence in the Central Criminal Court, the witness, Mr Christopher McCullagh, said he remembered nothing about the night Mr Brian Fitzpatrick was beaten to death, and claimed he made statements only after being threatened by gardaí.
Mr McCullagh was giving evidence in the trial of Mr Michael Geoghegan (20), of Northway Estate, Finglas, Dublin, and Mr Richard Bourke (20), of Sycamore Park, Finglas East, who have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Fitzpatrick, of Clune Road, Finglas, on December 1st, 1998, at Clune Road.
The accused were just 15-years-old when, it is claimed, they punched and kicked Mr Fitzpatrick, who died from head injuries three days later.
Mr Tom O'Connell SC, prosecuting, yesterday read to the jury portions of Mr McCullagh's Garda statements.
"They were both very hyper and agitated....Geoghegan said 'you missed what happened, we're after milling some fellow down there'."
The statement continued: "They said when they milled this fellow they left him lying in a puddle of blood."
However, when Mr O'Connell asked Mr McCullagh if he said this to gardaí, he replied: "No."
Mr O'Connell asked, in view of the material read out, if the witness could "assist the court at all?"
"No," Mr McCullagh replied.
Earlier, Mr McCullagh told the jury he could not remember anything about the night Mr Fitzpatrick was assaulted.
"I didn't then.....I don't now."
"Have you anything to say about that night?" Mr O'Connell continued.
"No," Mr McCullagh replied.
Mr McCullagh, who knew Mr Fitzpatrick, was arrested after the killing. He alleged that while in Lucan Garda station gardaí "battered me and forced me to sign a statement".
Asked if he was with a previous witness, Ms Tanya Maher, and a number of others in the early hours on the morning of the attack, he replied: "From what the guards say, yeah."
"What do you have to say?" lMr O'Connell asked.
"Nothing," he replied.