Man killed in alleged murder as trial opens

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

The trial of Wayne Cluskey and Josh Turner opened at the Central Criminal Court on 1 February 2017. They have pleaded not guilty to murdering Christopher Nevin. The charge concerns his killing at Tailteann Road, Navan, on 19 November 2015. The proceedings were reported on 1 February 2017.

Prosecution barrister Michael O'Higgins SC said the men had a joint plan to inflict serious injury or death on Mr Nevin. He described a dispute over what benefit Turner would receive after a male chihuahua supplied for breeding left only one of Mr Nevin’s three female chihuahuas pregnant.

Mr O’Higgins said the jury would see CCTV showing Turner getting out of a car and knocking on a window. He said Mr Nevin came outside and the two spoke briefly before Turner moved back with his arms up. Cluskey then came into view and began striking Mr Nevin, he said. Mr O’Higgins said Mr Nevin was struck with a hatchet and later died from his injuries.

The report said both men left in a car and later went voluntarily to Navan Garda Station. Mr O’Higgins said they put forward their justification for what happened and did not dispute being the “men in the attack” shown on CCTV. The trial was due to continue before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.