Paul Crosby on trial for attempted murder

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

Paul Crosby, of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda, Co Louth, was on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the attempted murder of Gerard Boyle. The charge concerned an alleged attack at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co Meath, on 10 November 2016.

Crosby was also charged with falsely imprisoning and intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Boyle on the same occasion. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The proceedings were reported on 15 February 2019. The trial was continuing before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.

The report said Boyle had been stabbed 28 times and escaped from the boot of a car that was pushed into a canal. Prosecuting counsel Patrick Gageby SC told the jury that the prosecution alleged Crosby had stabbed Boyle while Boyle was driving.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC, Boyle admitted that he had lied to a jury in a previous trial and to gardaí about whether he had received a threat before the incident. He said he had been nervous and scared at the previous trial and had not thought the threat relevant at the time.

Grehan suggested Boyle had named Crosby partly because of a dispute over broken windows at Boyle’s home. Boyle said he named Crosby because it was the truth.