A jury has been told that it is not in dispute that a 50 year old man died after being struck by a panel-beater in the car park of a pub in Longford last year.
However, the jury have been asked to decide if the actions of Gérard Melia, of Derrygowna, Lanesboro, Longford, were unlawful.
The trial opened this afternoon in front of Judge Keenan Johnson at Longford Circuit Court, sitting in Mullingar.
The 32-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of 50-year-old Noel McGann in the car park of a pub in Foigha on August 1st 2019.
The court heard that the dead man was on a 'first date' at the pub with a woman and had entered the pub after 2pm.
Mr Melia was also in the pub that afternoon, left, and returned around 40 minutes later in the mid afternoon.
The jury were shown CCTV evidence of the incident as well as hearing from multiple customers who were in the pub on the day of the alleged assault.
Several claimed that the dead man and the accused had been sitting at opposite ends of the bar and the incident occurred after Mr Melia invited Mr McGann outside at around 5pm.
One witness claimed that when both men were outside, he heard Mr Melia say to the 50-year-old that he was talking about him.
He then heard the deceased say that if the accused 'wanted a row' he would "f**king kill" Mr Melia.
The witness claimed both men were talking 'at each other' outside and Mr McGann had tried to strike the accused first, but this was blocked by the accused's right hand and Mr Melia then struck Mr McGann with his left hand.
He then left the car park moments later in a car, with the 50 year old unresponsive on the ground.
Another witness who knew both men claimed that he thought that Mr McGann was in good humour on the day but was not being loud and was not aware of any issues between the two men.
Garda Ann Lawless, a scene of crimes officer, told the court that she discovered a bloody towel and tissues at the scene.
She believed they had been used to mop up two different pools of blood.
The trial continues tomorrow in front of the jury of seven men and five women.
