John Dundon has been left to defend himself at his trial for the murder of Garryown rugby player Shane Geoghegan after sacking his legal team.

The 31-year-old of Hyde Road in Limerick appeared to believe would be given time to hire new lawyers and seemed shocked when the Special Criminal Court called the case on for this afternoon.

He appeared happy to confirm to the Special Criminal Court that he no longer required the services of his legal team who he fired last week.

However he looked flabbergasted when his request for a different legal team was rejected and presiding judge Mr. Justice Nicholas Kearns told him that he would be defending himself at his trial.

The 31-year-old remained seated in a wheelchair as he was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the murder of Garryowen rugby player Shane Geoghegan in November 2008.

When he found out his trial is to start this afternoon Mr. Dundon had another outburst in court informing the judges he left school at the age of 9, that he is illiterate and has not got a clue about the law. He even asked if he could call his old lawyers back in but the answer was no.