Jury told Limerick man was stabbed 41 times
Martin Purcell (above) died after he was stabbed 41 times. Gerard Manning (below) denies murdering him
A JURY has been told that a Limerick man who was murdered at his home in the city almost 18 months ago was stabbed 41 times.
The body of 54-year-old Martin Purcell was found at the flat where he lived on Wickham Street on the morning of September 30, 2011.
Today, a jury was selected for the trial of Gerard Manning who is accused of murdering the father-of-two.
Manning, aged, 33, who has an address at Upper Gerald Griffin Street, denies killing Mr Purcell between September 28 and September 30, 2011.
Opening the prosecution case at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, Una Ni Rafertaigh SC said the deceased man was a quiet man, who liked to take a drink, loved music and had small circle of friends.
She said the alarm was raised on September 30, 2011 after a neighbouring tenant alerted the landlord to the fact that he hadn’t seen him for a couple of days.
The court was told when the landlord entered Mr Purcell’s flat, he was greeted with an horrific scene.
Ms Ni Rafertaigh said Mr Purcell’s body was on the floor with multiple stab wounds and that his trousers and underwear had been pulled down. The lights were on at the flat as was the television.
The jury has been told the defendant denied knowing Mr Purcell and ever being in his flat when he was interviewed by gardai.
However, it is the prosecution case that fingerprints matching those of the accused were found at the scene.
The trial, which is likely to last a number of weeks continues.
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Wednesday 19 June 2013
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