The trial of a man charged with murdering his stepson has heard the deceased had a death wish over feelings of guilt about his missing teenage sister, Amy Fitzpatrick.
The court heard the accused, David Mahon, told gardaí it was possible Dean Fitzpatrick (23) walked into the knife he was holding on purpose.
Mr Mahon (45) has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Fitzpatrick on May 26th, 2013, a day after the deceased interfered with his bicycle to annoy him.
He received a stab wound to the abdomen outside the apartment that his mother shared with Mr Mahon at Burnell Square, Northern Cross. He bled to death internally after the incident which the and the prosecution told the Central Criminal Court was a “gutting”.
Detective Sgt Eddie Carroll testified that the gardaí had acquired Mr Fitzpatrick’s file from North Dublin Mental Health Services, after hearing Mr Mahon’s account of his relationship with him. Mr Mahon had told gardaí that Mr Fitzpatrick had self-harmed.
Det Sgt Carroll said Mr Fitzpatrick told medical personnel that his substance abuse began when he was 11 and involved hash, cocaine and tablets. He said that in July 2009, he reported low mood, self harm and having cut himself to relieve tension
“I feel I’m Superman. Nothing can happen to me when I drink,” he told them when he was 19. “I have three or four mood swings a day...I can’t control it. I need something to calm me down.”
Death wish
He reported in 2010 that he had a death wish and admitted himself to St Ita’s Hospital in Portrane in 2011. He was discharged within weeks.
Mr Fitzpatrick reported the following year that he had self harmed or attempted to do so. Instances included one with cocaine, one where he stabbed himself in the hand and one where he had cut his forearms.
Mr Fitzpatrick also told a medic he had been convicted of the attempted murder of a policeman in Spain. The detective sergeant could not confirm this had happened. However, Mr Mahon told gardaí that his stepson had stolen his car and run over an officer.
Det Sgt Carroll told the defence the death wish he had expressed was in relation to feelings of guilt he had regarding his missing sister.
The jury had spent the morning listening to memos of garda interviews with Mr Mahon. The court was also shown segments of videos of the interviews, in which he stood up and gestured how the incident had happened.
Det Garda Brendan Mears said he interviewed Mr Mahon following his arrest on May 26th, 2013. He was asked if he had seen a solicitor and said he had.
“They said not to say anything but, look, I’ve nothing to hide,” he said. “It’s my fault. I can’t believe it. What will Audrey say? 23 years of age. Jesus Christ.”
Family background
He was referring to his then partner, now wife, and Mr Fitzpatrick's mother, Audrey Fitzpatrick. He was asked about the family background.
“We’re going out 12 years. We moved to Spain. You know Amy went missing,” he said.
The court has already heard that Mr Fitzpatrick was the older brother of Amy Fitzpatrick, who went missing in Spain in 2008 and has never been found.
Mr Mahon said they had a great life in Spain owning eight or nine houses and bars.
“We were millionaires really, but spent it all looking for Amy,” he said. “I wish it was me.”
Mr Mahon was asked about his relationship with the deceased and he said it was ‘not good, up and down’. “I hit him once in Spain when he pulled a knife on me,” he said.
“I’m sitting in my cell and thinking: Did he want to walk into the knife?” he said.
The prosecution has now closed its case. The trial continues before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan.