McCartney Accused 'Seen' By Witness

As the case against the man accused of killing Robert McCartney, 33, - who was beaten and stabbed to death outside a bar near Belfast city centre on 30 January 2005 - opened today, a Crown lawyer has told Belfast Crown Court that a witness will say that the accused delivered the fatal stab wound and then kicked Mr McCartney in the head.

However, Terence Davison, 51, of Stanfield Place, Belfast, denies the murder.

At the time, the fatally wounded victim is described as having turned to his friend during the assault and gasped: "Nobody deserves this".

"The prosecution also said that the evidence taken as a whole would entitle the court to draw the proper inference that Davison was seen by 'Witness C' violently attacking and killing Mr McCartney," Gordon Kerr QC said.

He said evidence would show that, after initially taking part in an attack on Mr McCartney along with a number of other men, Mr Davison pursued the injured and bleeding man down another street before stabbing him in the abdomen.

Mr Davison is also accused of affray as are James McCormick, 39, and Joseph Gerard Emmanuel Fitzpatrick, 47.

Fitzpatrick is also charged with an assault on another of Mr Cartney's friends.

The trial continues.

See: Omagh Trial Delayed

(BMcC)