Paul Crosby pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges

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

Paul Crosby was charged with attempting to murder Gerard Boyle at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane, Co Meath, on 10 November 2016. He was also charged with falsely imprisoning Boyle and intentionally or recklessly causing him serious harm on the same occasion.

Crosby pleaded not guilty to all counts at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 14 February 2019.

Opening the prosecution case, Patrick Gageby SC said Crosby initially drove a Volkswagen Passat before asking Boyle to take over. Gageby said it was alleged that Crosby, sitting behind Boyle, stabbed him. He said Boyle was taken out of the car, told he would be brought to hospital and placed in the boot by two people.

Gageby said the car appeared to have been pushed into the Boyne Canal. Boyle escaped by kicking down the back seat and reached the bank. He was taken to hospital, where he was found to have 28 stab wounds and a bleed into his chest.

Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC said Boyle’s injuries were not in dispute, but Crosby disputed Boyle’s assertion that he was responsible. The trial was continuing before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart and a jury.