A promotions company steward working at a popular disco on the night an 18-year-old student was kicked to death told a jury today he saw a youth wearing similar clothes to the deceased punch another youth before a big fight broke out.
Mr John Wall, who was working for Julian Benson Promotions at Club Anabel's in the Burlington Hotel on the night Mr Brian Murphy died, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he at first thought the group were play-acting because they seemed to know each other.
Shortly after he witnessed the punch, he saw the same youth crouched on the ground with a number of other youths standing over him. A huge fight then broke out and he said there were "punches coming from all angles".
Mr said he ran off to find one of disco's doormen but when he couldn't he returned to the front of the hotel and met the car park security guard, Mr William Crabtree.
They went out to the roadway but couldn't see anyone and he returned to the front of the hotel before he left to go home.
Mr Wall told the jury on day two of the trial that the person he had earlier seen throw the punch appeared to be the same youth who was later crouched on the ground because there was only one person wearing a maroon-coloured t-shirt there that night.
He said the t-shirt Mr Murphy was wearing on the night, which was shown to him in the witness box, was very similar to the one he saw in the disco.
Mr Andrew Frame (22), from Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Mr Dermot Laide (22), from Rossvale, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, Mr Sean Mackey (23), from South Park, Foxrock, Co Dublin, and Mr Desmond Ryan (22), from Cunningham Road, Dalkey, have all pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Murphy at Sussex Road on August 31st, 2000.
The four former Blackrock College pupils have also denied committing violent disorder by using or threatening to use unlawful violence on the same date.
Mr Crabtree told Mr Edward Comyn SC, prosecuting, that when he returned to the hotel three youths carried Mr Murphy, who was unconscious, up to him. He put him in the recovery position and was informed an ambulance had been called.
He went and got him a glass of water but Mr Murphy was incapable of drinking it because of his unconscious state.
Mr Paul Nolan, a doorman working at Club Anabel's on the night, earlier told Mr John Edwards SC, for Mr Laide, that two men were ejected at about 1.30 a.m. but he couldn't say if it was any of the accused.
In his opening address to the jury, Mr Comyn said that Mr Murphy suffered a brain enlargement and died as a result of brain damage, inhalation of blood and multiple facial injuries, which were due to considerable violence being inflicted upon him.
The trial continues before Judge Michael White and a jury of eight men and four women.