Judge tells jury there are three verdicts open to them in Daniel McAnaspie murder trial
A jury will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday to consider their verdict in the trial of a man accused of murdering a 17-year-old boy whose body was found dumped in a farmer's drainage ditch.
Richard Dekker (aged 30) with an address in the Blanchardstown area of Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown on February 26, 2010.
Justice Patrick McCarthy finished his charge to the jury this morning telling them there are three verdicts open to them: guilty, not guilty, or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
He said they can find Mr Dekker guilty if they believe that he assisted Trevor Noone, who the prosecution says stabbed the teenager, knowing that Noone intended to kill or cause serious injury to Daniel.
A manslaughter verdict should be returned if the jury is satisfied that Mr Dekker helped Noone believing that he intended only to cause injury, but not serious harm or death.
A not guilty verdict should be brought if they believe that he thought Noone, who was carrying a single blade from a garden shears, would inflict only some trivial harm.
Justice McCarthy sent the jury of seven women and five men home at 4pm today after three hours of deliberations and asked them to return on Monday morning.
