The trial of a man accused of murdering a father of one in Dublin has heard the victim died after being stabbed up to 30 times. Andrew Gibney (21) of Drumheath Avenue in Mulhuddart denies murdering Gerard Burnett in August 2012.

Mr. Burnett (28) was stabbed repeatedly outside his girlfriend's home at Castlecurragh Vale in Mulhuddart on August 21st 2012.

The court heard he was dragged from his home by five men carrying knives.

His girlfriend told gardai she stood behind him as he opened the door and heard one man say "You're dead Ger Burnett", before dragging him out.

In terror, she closed the door and ran upstairs to where their son was sleeping.

She scooped him into her arms and ran out the back of the house where she jumped a fence and ran to her neighbour's house to raise the alarm.

A post mortem revealed Mr. Burnett had been stabbed about 30 times.

One week later gardai took four knives from Andrew Gibney's home and he handed himself in the following day.

During his interrogation the court heard he admitted stabbing Mr. Burnett three times with an 8-inch knife but that his intention was not to kill him.

The trial continues before a jury of nine men and three women.

Pictured above: The Garda Technical Unit examine a house near the scene of the fatal stabbing in Mulhuddart in 2012