A Dublin man accused of murder has admitted stabbing a drug addict to death but said he was trying to defend his wife and children.
"I was afraid he was going to beat us all up. I was completely terrified," Mr William Duffy told a jury at the Central Criminal Court. "I didn't want him dead, I couldn't believe it, it was horrible." Mr Duffy also apologised to the dead man's family and said the killing had left him "ashamed, sorry and sick".
It was the third day of the trial of Mr William Duffy (37), who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Paul Rooney (21), at Mr Duffy's home in Tallaght on September 9th, 1998. All evidence has been heard before Mr Justice Smith and the jury is expected to begin its deliberations today.