Courts / Cork / Report

Second witness tells Cameron Blair trial he saw teen accused with knife

Date
2021-06-04

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Cork City

County
Cork

Summary

During the second day of the Central Criminal Court trial, Darren O'Leary, the host of a pre‑drinks party on Bandon Road, testified that he saw the 16‑year‑old accused brandishing and waving a knife outside the house where 20‑year‑old Cameron Blair was murdered. O'Leary insisted he saw the knife "with my own eyes" and that the accused was the only boy in the group who held a knife. He described the accused as standing in shock at the front door after the incident and said he had identified the boy in a photograph. The defence argued that two other boys in the group had knives, but O'Leary maintained that only the accused was seen with a knife. The jury was told that the accused is charged with producing a knife capable of inflicting serious injury in a dispute. The trial continues before Mr Justice David Keane. The unnamed 16-year-old pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Second witness tells Cameron Blair trial he saw teen accused with knife. Charges or matters: the production of a knife at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020; producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute, to wit a knife, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person; murdering Cameron. "He [the accused] still had a knife," remarked the witness, adding that he was aware another juvenile had pleaded guilty to murdering his friend; murdering Cameron and he was the person who had stabbed him in the neck with a knife; violent disorder and to the production of a knife, he said. "So we have both people using a knife that is not my client," he added. Procedural stage: trial

When:

January 16, 2020 Incident
2021-06-04 Publication

Why: The accused, who was 14 at the time of the incident and cannot be named because he is a minor, has pleaded not guilty to producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute, to wit a knife, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed 16-year-old

Accused

Charges: the production of a knife at a house on Bandon Road in Cork city on January 16, 2020; producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute, to wit a knife, in a manner likely to unlawfully intimidate another person; murdering Cameron. "He [the accused] still had a knife," remarked the witness, adding that he was aware another juvenile had pleaded guilty to murdering his friend; murdering Cameron and he was the person who had stabbed him in the neck with a knife; violent disorder and to the production of a knife, he said. "So we have both people using a knife that is not my client," he added (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty