Closing speeches heard in Paul Crosby attempted murder trial

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Closing speeches have been heard in Paul Crosby’s attempted murder trial at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 1 February 2018.

Crosby, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, is charged with attempting to murder, falsely imprisoning and causing serious harm to Gerard Boyle at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co Meath, on 10 November 2016. He is also charged with attempting to murder Boyle later that day at Boyne Canal, Drogheda.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Patrick Gageby SC, for the State, said Crosby had a strong motive to want Boyle out of the way. He said Boyle had named Crosby as his assailant within hours of being hospitalised and that Crosby was not at home when a garda called at 9.56pm.

Defence counsel Mr Bowman SC said the supposed motive explained why Boyle had named Crosby instead of the real attackers, whom Boyle feared. He pointed to differences in Boyle’s accounts and said Crosby had told gardaí he might have been at his aunt’s house that night. Bowman argued there was no evidence corroborating Boyle’s account and asked the jury to acquit Crosby on all counts.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy was due to charge the jury the following day, after which deliberations would begin.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.