A Tipperary man has denied murdering his mother's partner who died after suffering head, neck, and chest injuries.
Andrew Nash (43) of Parnell Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, claims he did not kill his mother's long-term partner Johnathon Ustic (51).
That's according to the Irish Independent.
The state alleges Mr Ustic suffered a prolonged attack which involved being repeatedly punched, his ear being slashed with a glass bottle, his head stamped on, and a sofa dropped on his chest.
Mr Nash has pleaded not guilty to the above but has admitted to delivering a "number of slaps."
The alleged murder took place at a time unknown between September 23rd and 25th, 2017.
On September 23rd, Mr Nash met two of his friends, Thomas Fitchett and Nicola Colgan, in Cork City where a lot of alcohol was consumed.
The next day, Mr Nash and Mr Fitchett went to buy more alcohol when the defendant's mother called.
Mr Nash immediately asked for a lift to Skibbereen, which his friends gave him.
When he entered his mother's home, Mr Nash went upstairs and started hitting Mr Ustic.
Things calmed and the two went to Lough Hyde with Mr Nash's two friends.
When they returned to the house that evening, Mr Ustic was apparently very drunk.
Mr Nash got out of the car and very aggressively dragged Mr Ustic out resulting in him hitting his head on the surface of the car park.
He was then left lying there while the three others entered the house.
People passing were concerned and so went to Skibbereen Garda Station for help but it was closed.
Mr Nash and Mr Fitchett later came from the house to bring Mr Ustic in.
CCTV caught some of what happened.
Once inside, it is alleged that Mr Nash threw Mr Ustic to the floor and started to attack him.
"He rained blows on him. He stamped on his face. He slashed his ear with a broken bottle," Sean Gillane SC told the court.
Mr Gillane, the prosecuting solicitor, said it is the state's case that a sofa was then lifted and repeatedly dropped onto Mr Ustic's head and chest.
Mr Nash left the house at roughly 10:30 pm.
Suzanne Fenton, Mr Nash's mother and Mr Ustic's partner discovered his body the next morning and called out the window for help.
Paramedics and Gardaí attended the scene where Mr Ustic was pronounced dead.
Following a post-mortem exam, it was found that Mr Ustric died from blunt-force trauma to the head, neck, and chest with a contributary factor of alcohol intoxication.
The exam also found crush-type injuries to his neck as well as a split-style injury to his left ear - similar to that of a glassing incident.
Mr Nash was arrested in November 2017.
He admits to hitting Mr Ustic "a number of slaps" but denies causing the injuries that resulted in his death.
The trial continues before the Central Criminal Court in Cork.
It will be before a jury of seven men and five women and is expected to last three weeks.
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