Witness says he kept watching TV as accused ran towards housemate with knife

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

A witness told the Central Criminal Court that he continued watching television after seeing Deivydas Zigelis grab a knife and run towards his housemate, Alexander Karpov, during an argument at their Portarlington home. Rimas Sodaitis said conflicts were common in the house and he did not see what happened next.

The court heard that Karpov, 26, died from a single stab wound to the heart at the Spa Street house on February 15th, 2014. Zigelis, 38, pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter. The proceedings were reported on June 15th, 2016.

Sodaitis said he later saw Zigelis ease Karpov onto the floor, try to wake him, clean up blood and call the emergency number.

Garda John Masterson testified that, when he arrived, Sodaitis said he had murdered his friend. The garda agreed with the defence that the untrue statement could have resulted from anguish at his friend's death or complete intoxication. The court heard that neither Sodaitis nor Zigelis was deemed fit to be interviewed for several hours because of intoxication.

The trial was continuing before Mr Justice Paul Butler.