Attack on OAP not self-defence, court told
MURDER accused Ross Outram carried out ‘a vicious and sustained attack on a defenceless old man’ and his claim of self-defence ‘does not bear thinking about’, a prosecution barrister has told his trial.
However, Mr Outram’s defence team has argued that their client could not be made liable for ‘a fall’ which saw 90-year-old retired farmer Paddy Lyons break his hip if it was unconnected to the original injuries inflicted on him.
John O’Kelly SC, prosecuting, yesterday gave his closing speech in the Central Criminal Court trial of Ross Outram.
Mr Outram, 28, of Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Paddy Lyons at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, Co. Waterford, at a time unknown between February 23 and 26, 2017.
A pathologist has given evidence that Mr Lyons suffered multiple blows to his head and neck from a blunt weapon, before his blood-smeared body was found slumped in his armchair at his home.
Mr Outram told gardaí in interviews that he ‘fought back’ after Mr Lyons hit him with a walking stick and shovel, and that he had taken up to 100 Xanax that day. A pharmaceutical expert has told the jury that there is ‘no proof’ that Mr Outram took Xanax.
The trial has heard that Mr Outram had injuries that included marks on his hands, bruising to the inside of his thigh and lumps on his head.
Closing the prosecution case, Mr O’Kelly told the court that it was no coincidence that Mr Outram had ended up in Mr Lyons’ house as he knew the old man had money and Mr Outram was ‘going to get it’.
Addressing the jury, Michael O’Higgins SC for Mr Outram said his client had done a terrible thing but ‘the fall’ was a live issue in the case, which could not be dismissed.
The jury of eight men and four women will hear the rest of Mr O’Higgins’ closing speech tomorrow.