Athlone murder trial continues in legal argument

The Central Criminal Court trial of two men accused of murdering a 23-year-old at Bogganfin, Athlone has continued with legal argument in the absence of the jury. Leszek Sychulec, aged 34, of Drinan, Ballymahon, County Longford, and Andrzej Gruchacz, aged 35, with an address in Warsaw, Poland, face charges of murdering Patryk Krupa on 20 June 2014. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder and to a separate charge of false imprisonment. The prosecution alleges the accused removed Mr Krupa from Athlone, travelled to the Shannon riverbank, and assaulted him before he drowned while incapacitated. The trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt began last week and entered its seventh day. Procedural matters were addressed before the jury this morning, with further evidence anticipated this afternoon.