Carlow man armed himself with knife and metal bar to lend 'moral support' during fatal stabbing of father of two

A Carlow man armed himself with a knife and a metal bar to lend “moral support” to a co-accused, who allegedly stabbed a father-of-two to death outside his home last year, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

“I didn’t confront Darren, I didn’t lay a finger on him, I was there to support,” Conor O’Brien (24) told gardaí, outlining his actions on the night 30-year-old Darren Quigley received a fatal stab wound to the leg.

Mr O’Brien of Ardmore Drive, Browneshill Road, Carlow previously pleaded guilty to possession of an article in a public place with the intention of causing injury, incapacity or intimidation contrary to section 9(5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

The offence related to 21 October 2024 at Market View, New Oak Estate, Carlow where he had with him an article, namely a knife, in a public place.

At the Central Criminal Court on Monday 3 November, Detective Garda Derek McEvoy gave evidence to counsel for the prosecution Niall Storan BL, that the defendant was arraigned on 14 July 14, pleading guilty to possession of a knife. He said that a further charge was to be taken into consideration, namely possession of a metal bar.

Det McEvoy said that a co-accused is charged with the murder of Darren Quigley at his home address at New Oak Estate on 21 October 2024.

He said that the co-accused allegedly arrived at Mr Quigley’s home on the night with Mr O’Brien, who had a knife up his sleeve. The detective said that a witness told gardaí that when the co-accused ran at Mr Quigley, Mr Quigley put his arms around the co-accused and pulled them to the ground. The witness saw the co-accused's hands moving in a stabbing motion but did not see the knife, the detective said.

Another witness gave evidence that Mr Quigley said he had been stabbed, while another witness said that the co-accused allegedly ran at Mr Quigley and swung a bar at him, before the two fell to the ground, where it is alleged the co-accused stabbed Mr Quigley in the leg.

Det McEvoy confirmed that a postmortem revealed that Mr Quigley bled to death after receiving a wound to the artery in his leg. The detective said that when interviewed by gardaí, Mr O’Brien admitted going to the scene with his co-accused and that he brought a bar and a knife, as he believed the intention was to give Mr Quigley “a few digs”.

Mr O’Brien also told gardaí that his co-accused and the deceased got into a tussle, before he ran in and pushed the co-accused off Mr Quigley.

Mr O’Brien told gardaí that he had been drinking alcohol and taking cocaine and tablets on the day, before he accompanied his co-accused to lend “moral support”.

“I didn’t confront Darren, I didn’t lay a finger on him, I was there to support,” Mr O’Brien told gardaí, adding that he put the knife he was carrying back into his pocket before he pulled his co-accused off Mr Quigley.

Det McEvoy told the court that Mr O’Brien has one previous conviction for the possession of drugs.

The mother of the deceased man, Michelle Quigley delivered a victim impact statement to the court, in which she said that hers was just an ordinary, working family whose lives have been changed since the night they lost “a son, father, brother and grandson”.

She referenced “two little girls who lost their daddy and thought the world of him,” adding that the family’s pain and sadness will go on.

Defence counsel, Kathleen Leader SC said that Mr O’Brien had used alcohol and drugs as a coping method due to his traumatic youth. She said he had been using alcohol and drugs on the day, so he was not thinking clearly when asked by his co-accused to go to the deceased’s house.

She said he had fully cooperated with the investigation and had issued an apology to the deceased’s family. Ms Leader also said that Mr O’Brien is a suitable candidate for probation supervision and will have family support when he is released from custody.

The matter was put back by Mr Justice Paul McDermott to 17 November for sentencing.