Man arranged ‘straightener’ during which father of seven was stabbed to death, court hears

A man arranged “a straightener” between two groups in a Wicklow playground during which a father of seven was stabbed to death, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Patrick Fitzpatrick’s barrister said this was not a “Traveller feud”, but “a matter of alternative dispute resolution” between the two groups.

The court heard how “loving son and devoted father” William Moorehouse (36) died after sustaining five stab wounds.

Fitzpatrick (33), with an address at Sunset View, Corran, Leap, Co Cork, pleaded guilty that he and other named men used or threatened to use unlawful violence on January 19th last year at Ballywaltrim playground on Schools Road in Bray, Co Wicklow. He also pleaded guilty to producing a knife.

Fitzpatrick had also been accused of the murder of Moorehouse, but the charge was dropped by the State.

At a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Det Sgt Ger Brennan told the court how 14 people were involved in an organised fight. Two groups of males were involved, Moorehouse in one group and Fitzpatrick in the other.

Brennan said Fitzpatrick had arranged “a straightener” between the two groups following an incident some days beforehand in which a youth was allegedly attacked by three males.

He said this “straightener” involved members of two families, with other persons before the courts in relation to this.

The detective told the court two groups arrived at the playground on the day in two vehicles, with Fitzpatrick driving a jeep containing a group of men with weapons. After the incident in which Moorehouse died, the dispute fell back into the car park, where vehicles were rammed, before a car chase ensued.

The detective said telephone evidence showed how text messages were sent throughout the day organising this “straightener”. Among these messages were a reference to a “yoke”, which Det Sgt Brennan said he believed meant a firearm, and a reference to a “side by side”, which he said he believed referred to a shotgun.

He told the court how Fitzpatrick had been driving around picking up people and meeting others before the fight.

Brennan said that while multiple persons were confronting each other with weapons, a children’s birthday party was ending in the nearby community centre at the time.

He said the entire incident lasted about two minutes, with Moorehouse sustaining five stab wounds. Both groups left after the stabbing, with Fitzpatrick driving the jeep and the other vehicle in pursuit.

Brennan said Fitzpatrick abandoned the jeep, later telling gardaí it was stolen by Travellers. The detective sergeant said that when gardaí found the vehicle, they discovered weapons in it including knives, metal bars, rods, sticks and latex gloves.

The court heard how Fitzpatrick had 28 previous convictions.

Michael Bowman, defending, said a “straightener” was where people involved in a dispute come together to have a fight to prevent it spreading out to the wider community.

He said someone on the other side reached out to Fitzpatrick, who facilitated the straightener, with an agreement that a relative from each family would attend to ensure fair conduct in the fight.

Bowman said voice-messages indicated Fitzpatrick had said it was his intention to observe and ensure the rules were observed.

He said this was not a Traveller feud, but the result of a decision taken to have a straightener after a young man was assaulted by three men.

“What was intended was that this was to be a matter of alternative dispute resolution,” he said.

He said Fitzpatrick had always maintained he had nothing to do with the death of Moorehouse, but was involved in arranging the straightener.

Victim impact statements were read in court by Moorehouse’s sisters, Kathleen and Siobhan Ward.

“As a family we were overwhelmed at the amount of people in the community that reached out to us to say they were devastated at his passing,” Kathleen Ward said. “He was a character and a joker. Willie always had a smile on his face.”

Moorehouse’s youngest sister, Siobhan Ward, said she felt it was important to show the profound devastation her family had felt since her brother was brutally taken from them.

Judge Karen O’Connor directed a probation report be carried out and remanded Fitzpatrick in custody until October 30th.