A man accused of murder was arrested initially on suspicion of being a drugs dealer, a jury in the Central Criminal Court has heard.
Det Insp John Courtney, of Clonmel Garda Station in Co Tipperary, told the court yesterday Mr Paul Fitzgerald was first arrested under the Misuse of Drugs Act "on suspicion of being a major drugs dealer in the Clonmel area", but was arrested two days later for murder.
Mr Fitzgerald (29), of Garrymore, Clonmel, denies the murder of Mr Francis Daniels (41), of Oliver Plunkett Terrace, Clonmel, on October 26th, 1997.
Det Garda Pat Kelly, Clonmel station, told the court that Mr Daniels had been "in the wrong place at the wrong time"; his killer may have been "spooked and startled" when he was "doing something he shouldn't have been doing".
Det Garda Kelly added that, while the attacker may have "lost the head", there "were very severe injuries on Mr Daniels".
Prosecution counsel Mr Michael Durack SC said Mr Daniels came upon the accused man while he was tending to a drugs stash in an alleyway.
Det Supt John McElligot told the court that gardai believed Mr Fitzgerald was in the alleyway "dealing in drugs". Mr Daniels was "by his very nature a very inoffensive, harmless man, and had not done anything to contribute to his own death".
The murder trial continues today before Mr Justice Smith.