Edward Meenan murder: Accused 'admitted being present during attack'

One of the men accused of murdering a father-of-nine in Londonderry confessed to being present during the attack after hearing the victim's blood was on his trainers, a court has heard.

The body of 52-year-old Edward Meenan was found in Creggan Street in November 2018.

The court was told 22-year-old Ryan Walters admitted to being there but denied he was involved in the murder.

He has blamed his co-accused for the attack.

Mr Walters said Sean Ciaran Joseph Rodgers, 34, of no fixed address, was responsible for the murder, along with a third defendant Derek Creswell, 29, of Kings Lane in Ballykelly, Londonderry, who pleaded guilty last week.

The court heard Mr Walters, of Station Park, Crossgar in County Down, admit he was there when "things got out of hand" but denied having "touched him (Mr Meenan)".

He added that he would not have the courage to "stab anyone".

The court previously heard extracts from Mr Walters' police interviews in which he claimed he never knew about the attack or its victim.

His denial continued even after detectives told him his girlfriend claimed Mr Walters had made a drunken telephone confession to her within hours of the murder.

It was only after the police revealed that traces of blood were found on his trainers, and that "the majority blood profile on that shoe came from Eddie Meenan", that Mr Walters admitted his involvement.

However he denied attacking the victim.

When detectives told him he was "safe", he replied: "I'm going to be sent down for this... and the boys will know that I've ratted on them... I didn't touch him like."

The court heard Mr Walters describe how after Mr Meenan and his friend turned up wearing balaclavas, they were set on by his co-accused, who beat them both before one of them made their escape.

He said he could not say which of the defendants stabbed Mr Meenan.

Mr Walters said that during the attack - in which Mr Meenan was stabbed 42 times and had both his legs fractured - he was "being sick" because he "can't do blood at all".

The trial continues.