Courts / Limerick / Report

Murder accused says he can't answer why he gave gardai and trial different accounts

Summary

Arnis Labunskis, 57, is on trial for the murder of his flatmate Dainius Burba, 39, in Limerick on 21‑22 April 2015. He has admitted to the jury that he inflicted serious injuries on Bur — including a fractured skull and broken jaw—after a confrontation in the middle of the night. Labunskis claimed he had taken a table leg from Bur 's hand when the latter swung it at him, and that he had called Bur into a darkened room before the assault. He has also said he threw a plastic bag containing a t‑shirt stained with Bur 's blood into a wheelie bin that morning. During cross‑examination, Labunskis could not explain why he gave Gardaí a different account of the death than he gave in court, stating he did not know why he had done so. The trial is proceeding before Justice Deirdre McCarthy with a jury of ten.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Murder accused says he can't answer why he gave gardai and trial different accounts. Charges or matters: murdering the Lithuanian father of one, who was also his colleague. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 22nd April Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-02-13 Publication

Why: You knew you had killed him because you had intended to kill him," he suggested. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report