Courts / Dublin / Report

'I just wanted to scare him' - Murder accused takes the stand at his trial

Date
2026-02-11

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Joseph Lawlor, a 39-year-old man from Dublin, has taken the stand in his murder trial, claiming he stabbed his friend Michael Ryan in self-defense after Ryan allegedly threatened to throw grenades through his window. Lawlor told the Central Criminal Court that he only wanted to scare Ryan and make him leave him alone. The trial has heard that both men had been drinking together throughout the day and that they had previously been involved in the sale of sleeping tablets. CCTV footage showed a physical altercation between the two men, and Ryan was arrested for drink driving before returning to Lawlor's home later that night. Audio from a neighbor's Ring doorbell captured Ryan demanding the return of a watch, prompting Lawlor to confront him. Lawlor said that when he heard a bang and saw Ryan in his sitting room, he froze in fear. He claimed that there was a scuffle over a bag and that he fell to the ground. Joseph Lawlor pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'I just wanted to scare him' - Murder accused takes the stand at his trial. Charges or matters: the murder of Michael Ryan (51) in a carpark to the back of the accused man's home on June 20, 2024. Procedural stage: trial

When: