Limerick man due to go on trial following fatal stabbing
Martin Purcell died from multible stab wounds
A JURY is expected to be sworn in later this morning for for the trial of a 34-year-old man who is accused of stabbing another man to death during a frenzied attack in the city 18 months ago.
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.
Gardai were alerted to the flat after neighbours raised concerns after they had not seen Mr Purcell for a number of days.
Post-mortem results showed the separated father-of-two, who was originally from the Fairgreen of Limerick, had died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Gerard Manning, aged 34, who has an address at Upper Gerald Griffin Street, is accused of murdering Martin Purcell - a retired Eircom technician - at his home on Wickham Street sometime between September 28 and September 30, 2011.
He was arrested a number of days after the killing and first appeared before Limerick District Court on October 4, 2011 after the DPP directed he be charged with murdering Martin Purcell, contrary to Common Law.
His trial was due to begin at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday but when called it failed to get underway as had been expected.
However, the jury panel was told to return to the Courts of Criminal Justice this morning when a jury is due be selected.
The trial is likely to last a number of weeks.
Manning, who is represented by solicitor Ted McCarthy, faces the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment if convicted of murdering Martin Purcell.
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