A mother of six stabbed a 20-year-old man in the chest after he bit her husband on the side of the face, a court has heard.
Mrs Sarah Craig, Cregan Avenue, Kileely, Limerick, is charged with unlawfully killing Mr Brian Hanley of Beechcourt House, Meelick, Co Clare, at Cregan Avenue, Kileely, on August 26th, 2001.
Mrs Craig (34) is also charged with producing a knife in the course of a dispute at Cregan Avenue, Kileely, on the same date.
Mrs Craig denies both of the charges.
Yesterday at the opening of the trial, Mr John O'Sullivan, counsel for the State, said the accused had armed herself with a knife and stabbed Mr Hanley in the chest during a dispute outside her home in Cregan Avenue on August 26th, 2001.
The court heard that Mrs Craig and her husband Eamon were at home at about 1.30 a.m. with the accused's mother and six children aged from 3 months to 13 years when they heard a dispute outside their house.
A number of people were involved in the row, including the deceased man Mr Brian Hanley, his father Mr Seán Hanley, and the accused's brother-in-law, Mr Frank Craig.
The court heard that Mrs Sarah Craig and her husband Eamon came out to the door of their home and got involved in the dispute.
"It appears the accused lady and her husband became involved in the dispute and that Eamon Craig was bitten in the side of his face by the deceased," said Mr O'Sullivan.
The jury was told that Mrs Craig armed herself with a knife and went to her husband's aid, and then stabbed Mr Brian Hanley in the chest.
The trial continues today at Limerick Circuit Court before Judge Carroll Moran.