Murder trial jury told there is footage of moment victim ran from house with hand on chest
Alison O'Riordan
A murder trial jury has been told there is CCTV footage of the moment a man who was fatally stabbed ran from a house in north Dublin with his hand on his chest.
Derek Boyd has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of Mark Carroll, while his partner Chantelle Harcourt stands accused of impeding his prosecution.
The 12 jurors were told by the State on Wednesday that it is the prosecution case that Boyd stabbed the deceased with the intention of killing him or causing him serious harm.
Harcourt is alleged to have made "an effort" to clean the scene, albeit "far from perfectly or successfully", before gardaí arrived.
Boyd (31), with an address at Scribblestown Place, Finglas in Dublin 11 has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mark Carroll (34) at his home on June 9th, 2024.
The accused man has also pleaded not guilty that on the same date at the same place, he did without lawful excuse make to Megan Rock a threat to kill her or cause her serious harm, intending her to believe the threat would be carried out.
Boyd has further pleaded not guilty that on the same occasion he assaulted Rock, causing her harm.
Harcourt (34), of Primrose Grove, Darndale in Dublin 17 has pleaded not guilty that on the same date at the same place, in circumstances where another person had committed an arrestable offence, namely causing serious harm, and knowing or believing that person to be guilty of that offence or of some other arrestable offence, did without reasonable excuse an act with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of the said person.
The accused woman has also pleaded not guilty on the same date at Blanchardstown Garda Station, in circumstances where another person had committed an arrestable offence, namely murder, and knowing or believing that person to be guilty of that offence or of some other arrestable offence, did without reasonable excuse an act with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of the said person.
In his opening address, prosecuting counsel Sean Guerin said that, given the charges, "in a sense five different trials are happening at once."
Guerin said Carroll was fatally stabbed in the early hours of June 9th, 2024 at Scribblestown Place, which was home to the two accused.
Counsel said the court will hear evidence that Boyd and Harcourt had spent several hours in the company of Carroll and his partner Megan Rock over the course of the previous day.
Detailing the evidence that will be heard, Guerin said a significant volume of alcohol and some cocaine had been consumed during the day.
Guerin said the two women had left the house before midnight and went to a nearby garage, returning to Scribblestown Place shortly after midnight.
He said there was a period of up to 35 minutes where all four persons were back in the house and had remained there until about 00.45.
Guerin said the evidence will suggest that "some falling out" had occurred during this period, resulting in Carroll and Rock leaving the house.
The court will also hear evidence, the lawyer said, that the couple then returned to Scribblestown Place. He said within three or four minutes, Carroll had gone back into the house while Rock remained outside.
CCTV footage, the court heard, will show that when Carroll left the house, he was running from it with his hand on his chest, having suffered a fatal injury.
The barrister said the prosecution will not be adducing any direct evidence of what happened in the house during those seven minutes but would be asking the jurors to infer Boyd had stabbed Carroll during that time with the intention of killing him or causing him serious harm.
Guerin also told the jury that after Carroll ran from the house, Boyd had also emerged from it. He said the panel would hear evidence of interactions Boyd had with Rock after he came out of the house.
"The interactions they had involved an assault of Ms Rock and a threat to kill or cause serious harm".
The lawyer further stated that Carroll and Rock had sought help from neighbours nearby. He said gardaí were notified shortly after 1am that morning.
Guerin said emergency services came to the scene and Carroll was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, where he was pronounced dead after 2am.
Counsel said Carroll suffered three stab wounds, with the fatal wound to the thorax, which had penetrated the ribs and heart.
The cause of death was blood loss, haemorrhaging, and shock due to the stab wound to Carroll's chest, he said.
There will be evidence, Guerin said, that gardaí entered the house shortly after their arrival at the scene.
Counsel said the prosecution case is that an effort was made to clean up the house with a mop before gardaí had arrived.
"Although the evidence certainly suggests that this was done far from perfectly or successfully; that effort had been made," counsel said, adding that this was the subject of the first count against Harcourt.
The lawyer said a technical examination revealed the presence of a sharp knife inside the front door of the house but, as there was no blood on it, it was excluded as a murder weapon.
Guerin said that, based on Harcourt's awareness of what happened, it is the prosecution's contention that she did two things to impede the capture of Boyd; first by cleaning the house and then by making a false statement at Blanchardstown Garda Station.
Counsel said there was no evidence against Harcourt of having killed Carroll - only two counts of assisting an offender.
Guerin explained the State’s case would be that when all the evidence is heard, the panel will be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the two accused are guilty of the offences charged.
The trial continues on Thursday before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury of seven men and five women. It is expected to last three weeks.
The jury panel were told last Monday that the accused man Boyd is in a relationship with Harcourt. They also heard that Rock would be a witness in the case.
