A MAN STABBED his brother-in-law while visiting his ill father in a Limerick hospital, a court heard yesterday.

Denis O’Driscoll Junior, with an address at Ballysimon Road, Limerick, denies one count of assault causing harm by stabbing his sister’s husband, Edward O’Reilly, at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), on 29 August 2015.

On the opening day of the trial at Limerick Circuit Court, O’Reilly identified in court the accused man as the person he claimed stabbed him.

The court heard O’Reilly and his wife had travelled to UHL from their home in Clondalkin to visit O’Reilly’s father, who was receiving treatment after suffering a heart attack.

The prosecution alleged O’Driscoll stabbed O’Reilly in an unprovoked attack after the pair met at the entrance of the hospital.

Senior prosecution counsel John O’Sullivan, said words were exchanged between both men as they passed each other, before O’Driscoll “came for” O’Reilly who “went to defend himself”.

“There was some sort of scuffle and a short time later O’Reilly realised he had been stabbed,” O’Sullivan said.

There was blood coming from a wound, just above his left hip.

The court heard O’Reilly received six stitches after he left the hospital and sought medical attention at a doctor’s surgery, located across the road from the hospital.

Garda Vincent Donlon, who was called to the scene and who took photographs of an injury to O’Reilly’s upper left side, agreed under cross examination by defence counsel, Brian McInerney, that no blood and no weapon was found at the scene.

Garda Donlon also agreed that gardaí did not take DNA swabs from the accused, his wound, or his clothes.

Giving direct evidence O’Reilly denied provoking the accused.

He said O’Driscoll started “mouthing off and shouting” when they met at the hospital.

O’Reilly said “a scuffle” ensued before the accused left the hospital.

A minute or so after, I noticed I was stabbed… I realised I was bleeding from my side. I was stabbed just above my waist.

The trial continues today before a jury of eight men and four women.

Comments have been closed as the case is ongoing.

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