Man (22) stabbed 28 times and ends up in Boyne canal

A 22-year-old Louth man has gone on trial, charged with attempting to murder another man twice, firstly by stabbing him 28 times and later by ordering him into the boot of a car that was pushed into a canal.

Despite suffering a punctured lung, the injured man managed to escape from the car and swim to shore.

Gerard Boyle gave evidence to the Central Criminal Court yesterday (Friday) in the trial of Paul Crosby of Rathmullen Park in Drogheda.

The accused has pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder, to falsely imprisoning and to causing serious harm to Mr Boyle on 10th November, 2016 at Knockcommon, Beauparc, Slane in Co Meath.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Mr Boyle later on the same date at Boyne Canal, Drogheda.

Mr Boyle (22) testified that he was living with his mother and brother in Beechwood Avenue, Drogheda at the time.

He told Patrick Gageby SC, prosecuting, that Mr Crosby had smashed a window in his home earlier that year and had then used the handle of a shotgun to push in the glass.

He said that the accused had again called to his home on the night of the stabbing, asking if he wanted to go for a chat to sort things out.

Mr Boyle said he agreed to ‘go for a spin’ with him and two other men in a car parked across the street. He said that he left his phone at home after Mr Crosby told him to do so.

He said that they drove to the river, where another car was parked. He said that he, the accused and one of the other men got into that car and that Mr Crosby drove them west towards Slane.

He said that he took over driving when they got to Knockcommon, because the accused said he couldn’t talk while driving. He said that Mr Crosby then got into the seat directly behind him and that the other man got into the passenger seat.

“I was driving for about 30 seconds and I felt something sticking into my left arm and turned around,” he said. “Paul had a knife. I pulled the handbrake and stopped the car and he stabbed me in the back.”

He said he was in shock and just shouted at him to stop.

“I tried to get away but the seat belt was strapped in,” he continued. “He got me in the back of the neck with the knife, the back of my head, the top of my back, half way down my back… I put my hands up on my neck and he stabbed me in the hands.”

He said that he managed to get out onto the road and that the accused told him to get up and get into the back.

“I couldn’t breathe,” he recalled, explaining that his lung had been punctured. “I couldn’t walk really. Nerve damage was done to my right leg.”

He said that he went to get into the back seat but that the accused told him to get into the boot instead.

“He just said we’re going to bring you to the hospital,” he said.

“Did you believe him?” asked Mr Gageby. “50/50,” he replied.

He said he got into the boot and the car was driven away.

He said that, when the car stopped, he began pushing against the back seat and eventually managed to open a clip and get out of the boot onto the seat.

“I opened the side door and I could see I was in water,” he recalled. “I looked around and swam across up onto the bank.”

He walked to a crossroads and flagged down a passerby. He was hospitalised for about two weeks. Mr Gageby had already told the jury that Mr Boyle had been stabbed 28 times that night.

Michael Bowman SC, defending, has now begun cross examining Mr Boyle. He will continue his cross examination on Monday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of six women and six men.