Man accused of murder was ‘big soft teddy bear’ – friend

A MAN accused of murdering his male partner has been described as a ‘big soft teddy bear’ by a friend of the couple giving evidence in his trial.

Lois Farrell told defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC that she knew the accused Desmond ‘Des’ Duffy, 70, and the deceased Desmond ‘Dessie’ Sullivan, 59, for about eight years and was friends with both men.

When they were drunk she often noticed that Mr Sullivan would put Mr Duffy down, interrupt him and talk over him.

Ms Farrell met the two men in a pub on the evening Mr Sullivan died. It was her birthday and they invited her along to give her a gift of earrings and buy her drinks.

As they got more drunk she said Mr Sullivan became rude and disrespectful towards Mr Duffy. Mr Sullivan, she said, was the boss in the relationship, would tell Mr Duffy what to do and, at times, it seemed like Mr Duffy wasn’t allowed to talk.

When Ms Biggs asked her if the accused ever fought back, she said: ‘I never even heard him raise his voice before, He might even just walk away at times.’

She told Ms Biggs that she stands over a description she gave to gardaí of Mr Duffy as a ‘big soft teddy bear and a gentleman’.

Mr Duffy has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Sullivan at the home they shared in Somerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin 6 on May 23, 2016. He told gardaí he was acting in self defence and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy told prosecution counsel Conor Devally SC that Mr Sullivan died from compression of his neck causing a lack of oxygen to the brain. She said his hypertensive heart disease, and a combination of alcohol and Diazepam in his system, may have contributed to his death.

The prosecution has completed its evidence in the trial. Justice Paul McDermott asked the jury of six men and six women to return tomorrow.