Drug dealer described stabbing man three times, murder trial hears

A man accused of murder told gardaí during interview that he stabbed another man three times outside Longford Shopping Centre in November 2016 because initial strikes with the knife proved ineffective, the Central Criminal Court heard. Rihards Lavickis, aged 26, originally from Latvia, with an address at Annaly Court in Longford, is charged with murdering Akadiusz Czajkowski, a 31-year-old Polish father-of-two. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. During his interviews with detective gardaí, the accused admitted carrying a knife that morning intending to confront the deceased over previous window damage to his apartment and alleged threats made against his family. The accused described the incident occurring in broad daylight near the shopping centre, stating the deceased ran backwards as he pursued him. The jury at the Central Criminal Court heard interview notes in which the accused acknowledged using greater force after his initial attempts proved unsuccessful. The State concluded its case, and the jury has been instructed to return Wednesday for further proceedings before Justice Michael White.