A Dublin man accused of murder told a group of youths he hated the victim and he would stab him, a jury in the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Julian Cantwell said two months before his friend was killed he overheard the accused say: "Steven Morris? I hate that c . . t. The next time I see that c . . t I'm going to stab him."
Mr Vincent Flynn (19) of Kiltipper-Close in Old Bawn near Tallaght, west Dublin, denies murdering Steven Morris (17) at Killakee Walk, Firhouse, Dublin on May 2nd last year. Cross-examined by Mr John Edwards SC, defending, Mr Cantwell said his hatred of Mr Flynn "is due to the fact that he killed my friend Steven Morris".
Mr Noel Delaney, a prosecution witness, said the night Mr Morris was stabbed, Mr Flynn had announced: "Tonight is the night I die". He said Mr Flynn was carrying a knife when he approached the group and had "grazed his head" with it and "lightly ran it over his wrists".
He pressed the knife into his forehead and said: `Tonight is the night I die. Next time you hear about me I will be dead'." The mother of a friend of Mr Flynn said he came to her door with blood coming down his forehead on the same night. "He was quite distressed," Ms Ann Concannon said.
Mr Flynn was sobbing and said: "I can't take it anymore. I have to end it," she said.
The court previously heard that after a row with his girlfriend, Mr Flynn ran out of his house after fetching an 8in-long hunting knife. He allegedly ran through the streets until he ended up at Mr Morris's home and called for him.
After a fracas outside the Morris family home, Mr Flynn then allegedly stabbed Mr Morris.
The prosecution claims Mr Flynn acted in a rage of jealousy after his then girlfriend told him she fancied Mr Morris.
The trial before Mr Justice Kinlen and a jury of seven men and five women will resume today.