HIV ADDICT SCREAMED FOR MERCY IN BEATING, TRIAL TOLD

A HIV-infected drug addict screamed for mercy as he was beaten to death by
vigilantes, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Josie Dwyer was beaten to death with batons and sticks, another drug
addict, who was with him, told the court.

Alan Byrne (27) said he was also "milked'' by the vigilantes, who beat him
in the arms, legs, head and ribs. ``We were lashed out of it."

Mr Byrne also said that one of the gang spat in Josie Dwyer's face. The two
men were rushed to hospital and Josie Dwyer was later pronounced dead. Two
other prosecution witnesses said they had no memory of what happened that
night. Six Dublin men accused has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of
Mr Dwyer on May 14, 1996 at Basin Lane in the south inner city. They also
deny assault causing actual bodily harm on Alan Byrne and violent disorder
on the same date.

ACCUSED

The six accused are: William Kenny (55), St Anthony's Road; John Kenny
(40), Martin Glynn (46) and Christopher O'Shea (49), of Dolphin House; Alan
Kelly (36) of Fatima Mansions - all from the Rialto area; and Mark Alford
(30) of Seagull House, Crumlin.

There was tight security for Mr Byrne's evidence and everyone entering the
courtroom was screened by a metal detector. Mr Byrne was escorted by plain
clothes gardai.

He said that in May 1996 his heroin addiction was "as bad as you can get".
He said Josie Dwyer was also a heroin addict and had AIDS.

"He was the most physically wretched person you could imagine. He was like
a 60-year-old man on his last legs from cancer," he said.

Mr Byrne said that he and Mr Dwyer had been "banged up" on heroin twice on
May 14, 1996. Some time in the evening they decided to walk to a Maxol
garage in Dolphin's Barn to buy some cigarettes.

They were attacked by a group of men, who then followed them to Fatima
Mansions and attacked them again. They were cornered in Basin Lane.