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A MAN has been found guilty of stabbing his friend to death in line for paying for cocaine.
A Central Criminal Court jury rejected 43-year-old Mark Crawford’s claim that he was acting in self-defense for fear of being attacked by the deceased as he was not from that part of Limerick City.
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The trial has heard that the defendant and the late Patrick ‘Pa’ O’Connor had been using cocaine together at the bar on the north side of Limerick City and Mr. O’Connor felt aggrieved that he was “after being burned for € 100 for cocaine ”.
The jury accepted the State’s case that the defendant intended to cause at least serious injury to Mr. O’Connor when he stabbed him six times and inflicted two fatal wounds to the heart and jugular vein.
The prosecution argued that there was nothing to justify the defendant’s decision to use force against his friend at the bar after the cocaine payment dispute “much less the horrible level of force used.”
Crawford, who resides in Quarry Road, Thomondgate, Co Limerick, pleaded not guilty to the murder of O’Connor, 24, at Fitzgerald’s Bar, Sexton Street, in Limerick City between July 7-8, 2018.
‘HORRIFIC LEVEL’ OF FORCE
In his closing speech, prosecutor John Fitzgerald SC emphasized that if someone sticks a knife in the neck, heart, back and arm of another person, then it is a natural and probable consequence that they will be killed or serious injury to that person. .
“If you agree with me, then you can safely infer that Mr. Crawford intended to kill Mr. O’Connor and no amount of remorse or tears alters that,” he stated.
He argued that there was “a confrontation” between the couple and noted that the defendant had used a “horrible level” of force during the night.
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Assistant State Pathologist Dr. Margaret Bolster testified that she performed an autopsy on Mr. O’Connor and found six stab wounds to his body, including those to the heart, jugular vein, neck, and arm.
All 12 jurors found Crawford guilty of murder by unanimous verdict.
They had deliberated for four hours and 35 minutes for two days.
Judge Burns will pass the mandatory life sentence on October 2 and send Crawford, who did not react when the verdict was rendered, detained until that date.
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