An alleged victim of an assault in Waterford in which his friend died said they attacked the accused because he would not leave them alone.
36 year old Juraci Da Silva, with an address at Park Lane in Waterford, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 28-year-old James Banville at New Street in Waterford on October 8th 2016.
He has also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Conor Hogan causing him harm and to a charge of producing a knife on the same date and at the same place.
The Irish Independent reports that Conor Hogan said he and James Banville, both from Wexford, arrived in Waterford City at about 10pm and went to some pubs in the city centre. They met Mr Da Silva in Cross Lane.
He told the court: "He wouldn't go away. He kept on coming over and we told him to go away and he wouldn't so we hit him".
On their way back to their car they met Mr Da Silva again and assaulted him.
When they were on New Street he said he heard the accused "shouting and screaming" and running towards them.
At first he didn't realise that Mr Da Silva had a knife but then Mr Banville collapsed.
Mr Hogan required about ten stitches.
Detective Sergeant Michael Cawley told defence counsel Cephas Power that the two assaults on Mr Da Silva were caught on CCTV but the fatal incident took place in an area not covered by cameras.
The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
