A man accused of murdering his partner's son told a jury he was in no doubt his stepson would have killed him if he had not taken a shotgun and used it.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Patrick Murray (43) pleaded not guilty to the murder of his partner's son Ian O'Connor (21), otherwise known as Ian Dixon, at his home in Moyrath, Kildalkey, Co Meath on December 6th, 1999.
The jury has heard that Dixon rushed up to Mr Murray's bedroom "in something of a fury" after hearing that he had allegedly pushed his mother downstairs.
In his direct evidence, Mr Murray told Mr Sean Moylan SC for the defence: "I knew that if Ian came in the door, I would fire the gun. At what, at who, where, I don't know, but I suspected that's what would happen."
Asked what he thought Ian was going to do, he replied: "Oh, he was going to kill me; of that, I have little doubt. Tensions had been quite high. I was in danger." He said that when his stepson burst in, he pulled the safety catch off the gun, swung around and fired. "I just fired, I didn't intend to fire the gun, it happened," he said. "I did not intend to kill him; I did not intend to shoot him."
He went on: "I knew that if I fired the gun it would bring the authorities in and something would be done to solve the situation."
He told counsel that he and Ian's mother, Maura Dixon had moved to his family home and 90-acre farm in 1993 or 1994. Maura had two children by a previous marriage, including Ian. Ian treated him as a father, he said, and they had "a good relationship".
Closing speeches will be heard in the trial today.