A young murder accused walked into a garda station with his father, who told officers there that his son wanted to "hand himself in", a trial jury has heard.
The accused, Brandon Gavin (22), who stabbed a man in the neck while sitting behind him in a car, told gardaí that the deceased “came at” him so he defended himself, the jury also heard.
The defendant told gardaí that he feared for his life as he owed a drug debt of €2,500.
Mr Gavin, of Brookdale Road, Rivervalley, Swords, is charged with the murder of 19-year-old Marius Mamaliga at Forest Court, Swords, on the evening of February 23rd 2023.
He has pleaded not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, Garda David Durnin gave evidence to counsel for the DPP, Ronan Kennedy SC, that he was on duty at Swords Garda Station on February 23rd when the accused and his father came to the garda station.
He said that the accused’s father informed the garda that his son had been involved in an incident earlier and wished to hand himself in.
Garda Durnin said that the accused told him he had stabbed Mr Mamaliga in self-defence because he was in fear for his life as he owed money for drugs.
The garda said that Brandon Gavin told him that he owed €2,500 for “drugs/weed”, adding the accused also told him that he was in a panic after stabbing Mr Mamaliga and had thrown the knife away, but did not state where.
Detective Garda Conor Tumbleton gave evidence to Mr Kennedy that when he cautioned the accused, Mr Gavin said: “He came at me. I defended myself. I stabbed him.”
At the opening of the State’s case, Mr Kennedy said that the charge of murder arose from the fatal stabbing of the deceased on February 23rd, with Mr Mamaliga dying from his injuries on February 26.
Mr Kennedy said it is the prosecution’s case that Mr Gavin went to meet with the deceased armed with a knife, that he got into the back seat of the car behind the deceased and suddenly without warning stabbed him in the neck with the intention of killing him or causing him serious injury.
The trial continues on Thursday before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and the jury of seven men and five women.
