Skateboarder 'murdered over loud music'

Belfast Crown Court also heard that 24-year-old David Corr, suffered a total of 37 wounds in the frenzied attack at the hands of Barry Cavan who lived above him in Cuchullain House in the New Lodge area of north Belfast.

Last month 25-year-old Cavan was jailed for life by judge Mr Justice Weir after he pleaded guilty to murdering talented skateboarder and busker Mr Corr, also known as Dee, on March 15 last year.

On Friday the facts of the case were heard for the first time.

Prosecuting QC Liam McCollum said it was an "unusual and and very tragic case" and outlined how Cavan himself had called the police saying he had stabbed his neighbour.

Officers rushed to the scene and found Cavan, his hands covered in blood, lying face down in the hallway of Mr Corr's flat while his victim was in the living room, his T-shirt "covered in blood".

The knife he used in the killing was also recovered.

The lawyer said both the officers and paramedics who arrived at the scene soon afterwards checked for vital signs but tragically, found none.

Mr McCollum said a post mortem examination revealed a total of 37 wounds but added that many were "defensive wounds" to Mr Corr's arms along with evidence that Cavan continued the atttack even after his victim was dead.

Arrested and cautioned Cavan told police he had gone to the flat over an ongoing dispute over Mr Corr's loud music disturbing him and that it had been going on for "three or four months".

Cavan further claimed the fact that he was a protestant living in a mainly nationalist area also added to his paranoia but the court later heard there had never been any sectarian feelings vented towards him.

Mr McCollum also revealed that when police examined Cavan's mobile phone, they uncovered text messages he had sent out "threatening that he would kill Mr Corr if he didn't turn his music down".

During interviews with the police Cavan claimed he had drunk around four litres of cider that day and admitted killing his neighbour.

Defence QC Eilis McDermott said there was documentary evidence that Cavan had complained about noise levels a number of times and that Mr Corr had told Cavan he would wear headphones when he was listening to his music.

Submitting that the case was close to being a manslaughter case, she said both the defendant and his victim had their own mental problems to deal with, problems which exacerbated the dispute over music.

The pair had even socialised on a few occasions, revealed the lawyer who told the court Dee Corr had witnessed Cavan receiving a very bad beating and added it was this beating which resulted in Cavan routinely carrying a knife with him.

Remanding Cavan back into custody, Mr Justice Weir said he would fix the minimum tariff the killer must serve before being considered for release next week after he had again read the papers and reports in the case.