There were violent scenes at the end of a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick last night when a 23-year-old career criminal was jailed for life.
Two men were arrested following a mass brawl which broke out in the hallway of the County Courthouse following a guilty verdict. Gary Kirby, Hyde Road, Limerick, had denied the murder of Trevor McNamara at O'Malley Park, Southill, on September 13th, 2002. A jury of nine men and three women returned a unanimous guilty verdict last night after 3½ hours of deliberations.
During the trial, evidence was heard that the victim's skull had been smashed in with a pick-axe handle before he was stabbed 10 times in the neck and body. Kirby claimed he was trying to defend himself and feared he was going to be stabbed by the victim.
Det Sgt Tom O'Connor told the court last night that Kirby had 36 previous convictions for larceny, assault, possession of drugs, threatening to kill and a hit-and-run. He was a regular drug-user and by his own admission associated with known Limerick criminals. He had a propensity for violence and was unwilling to desist from his criminal pursuits, Det Sgt O'Connor said.
Mr Justice Carney imposed a mandatory life sentence on the murder conviction.
As he was being led away, Kirby roared "Scumbags" at gardaí in the court and spat towards members of the public gallery. Seconds later, a brawl broke out between relatives of the accused and the deceased. Detectives and uniformed gardaí broke up the fracas.