The retrial of a Dublin man who kicked his girlfriend to death after a row over a £5 cannabis deal opened yesterday.
Mr Sean Ryan SC, for the prosecution, told Mr Justice Carney and the jury at the Central Criminal Court that Mr Laurence Callaghan "savagely attacked" Ms Janet Mooney after they had been drinking and smoking cannabis.
Mr Callaghan (33), from St Mary's Road, Crumlin, in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder, but guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Mooney (29), between September 17th and 19th, 1996 at the flat they shared at Harrington Street in Dublin.
Opening the prosecution case, Mr Ryan told the jury they would have to decide whether Mr Callaghan was guilty of murder or manslaughter.
He said the evidence would show that Mr Callaghan kicked Ms Mooney to death. He described it as "a brutal attack".
Mr Ryan said that on the Thursday after the killing, Mr Callaghan went to an acquaintance in Rathmines and confessed to him that he had killed Ms Mooney.
The gardai were called, and when they went to the flat they found Ms Mooney's body. Mr Callaghan later told gardai that he and Ms Mooney had been drinking during the day and had bought some hash. An argument broke out between them over the hash.
Mr Callaghan said he "kept kicking" Ms Mooney and "just couldn't stop". "I had lost it completely." He told gardai that he then went out and bought some more hash and went back to the flat. The next morning he had sex with her and it was only after that, he knew she was dead.
Mr Callaghan made a written statement to gardai in which he said that on the night of the killing, he and Ms Mooney had bought twelve cans of cider and she had also bought £10 worth of hash.
They had several drinks in pubs in South Great George's St and Camden St before going back to the flat. A row broke out and when Ms Mooney was getting undressed he questioned her about where the rest of the hash was. She told him she didn't know and he started to kick her.
"Words cannot describe how sorry I am for what I have done. Janet was my best friend. I only hope God will forgive me and all who knew Janet," the statement ended.
The trial continues today.