Sister says brother accused of murder was carrying a homemade knife

A SISTER of a youth who is charged with murder told a court today she found a male friend in a bloodied state on the ground after her brother had chased him around a trampoline with a homemade knife.

The girl told the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Castlebar, she started screaming when she saw stab wound on the upper body of Dovydas Jenkas (17) after she had pulled off his coat and teeshirt.

Alerted by the screams, neighbours ran to the scene – the garden of a house in Claremorris – where they unsuccessfully tried to resucitate the victim. 

The youth charged with killing Mr. Dovydas in the early hours of December 19, 2015, denies murder. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

On the second day of the trial today, before Ms. Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury, a sister of the accused said she been watching videos with Mr. Dovydas in her mother's bedroom while her mother was absent visiting a friend.

The witness said she let her brother in after he shouted at her to unlock the door. Mr. Dovydas, meantime, had gone into the en suite bathroom.

She explained her brother was angry and demanded to know who was in the bathroom. She did not tell him.

After leaving the room, witness outlined, her brother returned with a knife which she recognised as one he had made himself. He was in an angry mood.

The witness said her brother saw Mr. Dovydas leaving the room through a window and recognised him stating: “Oh, it's you.'

She continued: “It sounded like he (brother) was running downstairs. I saw the two running around the trampoline in the garden. I told them to calm down. I did not want anyone to get injured.

“I went down to the garden. My brother was shocked and starting to cry. I think he had a knife in his hand. He said he was sorry.â€

The witness said when she went to Mr. Dovydas on the ground. He was not responding to her and was breathing heavily.

She tried to get him up but did not succeed. She took off his coat and teeshirt after seeing blood and then she saw a a stab wound on the left hand side of the upper body.

“I then started screaming,†the witness outlined.

The trial is continuing.