A man charged with the murder of one of his friends in Waterford city last year allegedly stabbed him in a row over a battered sausage from a takeaway.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, a witness told a murder trial jury that "all war broke loose over a sausage" prior to the killing of John Paul Ryan (20), a native of Fethard, Co Tipperary, who was living in Waterford city at the time.
Mr Kenneth Wall was giving evidence on the first day of the trial of Mr Charlie Maher originally from Clonmel, of St John's Park, Waterford. Mr Maher has pleaded not guilty murdering John Paul Ryan (20) at Grange Cohen Park, Waterford, in March 2002.
Mr Wall told Mr Paddy McCarthy SC, prosecuting, that on March 11th, a group of friends including both the deceased and the accused were drinking together from early evening onwards on the grounds of a football pitch on the outskirts of the city. Later they went to a friend's house in the city, where they continued to drink cider.
"We decided to go down to a takeaway in The Glen to get something to eat," Mr Wall said. "We walked down having a laugh, I don't think John Paul had any money at the time." He wasn't sure "who ordered what" or who paid for the food, but said that as soon as they went outside the chipper to eat the food, "all war broke loose". "John Paul took a sausage out of Charlie's bag," he said. "Charlie took it the wrong way."
He said that both men struck a number of blows and the other lads in the group tried to break it up. When they reached Mr Maher's home later , Mr Ryan met him in front of his house. "I saw the two of them coming together, I thought they were going to make up but then all hell broke loose," Mr Wall said.
The trial continues today.