Courts / Limerick / Report

Judge begins charge in Limerick murder trial

Summary

In the Central Criminal Court, Judge Deirdre Murphy began charging the jury on 15 February 2017 in the murder trial of Arnis Labunskis, a 57‑year‑old Latvian resident of Wolfe Tone Street, Limerick. Labunskis is accused of killing 39‑year‑old Dainius Burba, a Lithuanian father of one and former colleague, in their Limerick home on 21 or 22 April 2015. Labunskis pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. He initially told Gardaí he had returned to find Burba badly injured, but later admitted responsibility. Burba's father testified that Burba had entered his darkened bedroom at night, swung a wooden table leg at him, and continued to attack with fists until the victim shouted "stop." The prosecution dismissed Labunskis's self‑defence claim as an insult to the jury's intelligence, while the defence highlighted that Burba had previously approached Labunskis with an iron bar.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Judge begins charge in Limerick murder trial. Charges or matters: murdering 39-year-old Dainius Burba in their house there on 21st or 22nd April, 2015; murdering the Lithuanian father of one, who was also his colleague. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 22nd April Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-02-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report