Two murder trial witnesses said a man accused of murder showed them a knife up his sleeve before a fatal row. It was the third day of the trial of Mr Alan Rooney (29), of Curran Park, Balbriggan, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder on April 27th, 1996, of David Hammond (24) also of Curran Park.
Mr Paul Carroll (19) and Mr John Browne (23), both from Balbriggan, told a Central Criminal Court jury that they had been drinking together on April 26th.
Mr Carroll said he was walking home with Mr Browne when they met Mr Rooney. "He said he was going down to the Square for a row and he said he was going to kill someone". He said Mr Rooney had pulled up his sleeve, revealing a knife blade.
Mr David Hammond and another man then came past. "They were roaring at each other," Mr Carroll said. A scuffle later began between Mr Rooney and Mr Hammond.
Mr Carroll told Ms Maureen Clark SC, prosecuting, that during the scuffle, he saw "Alan Rooney moving his right arm towards David Hammond". He presumed that he stabbed him with the knife.
He said Mr Hammond did not fall but stood calling on the other man to come and fight him. This other man did and Mr Carroll recalled him pushing Mr Hammond on to the Green and then kicking him on the legs so he fell. He then sat on Mr Hammond. "He only hit him twice and he got up then off him".
Mr Browne told the court Mr Rooney had shown Mr Carroll and himself a knife up his sleeve. Mr Rooney told them "he was going to do some damage or something down the street".
When Mr Rooney interrupted the fight developing between Mr Hammond and the other man, Mr Browne recalled that the other man had stood back from it. He saw contact between Mr Rooney and Mr Hammond he said, "but I'm not really sure what they were at".
The trial continues today.