A garda witness has described to a jury the second she discovered the physique of a 79-year-old widower, who had been “severely crushed” to the purpose the place he was “unrecognisable”.
A witness additionally informed the Central Legal Courtroom homicide trial on Thursday that accused man Thomas Lorigan informed him that he had a row along with his uncle the evening earlier than the physique was discovered.
Mr Lorigan (34), of no fastened abode has pleaded not responsible to murdering John O’Neill (79) at St Brendan’s Highway, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare between January sixth and seventh, 2022.
It’s the prosecution’s case that the pensioner died after a vicious assault by his nephew, Mr Lorigan, who they submit had repeatedly kicked him to the top whereas sporting metal capped boots.
Giving proof on Thursday, Garda Louise Keogh informed Eilis Brennan SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, that she was on obligation at 8.06am on January seventh when she acquired a name to verify the welfare of the proprietor of O’Neills B&B, as a result of an altercation the earlier evening.
The garda stated there was no reply on the entrance door of the home however she might see a light-weight on within the kitchen space when she walked via an archway in direction of the again. Her colleague, Garda Sarah Tubbert, tried to open a aspect door with a set of keys however had no luck.
When Gda Keogh regarded via frosted glass in the back of the home she might see an individual mendacity on the bottom. She discovered a person mendacity on the bottom once they gained entry by breaking a window. “He was lifeless, severely crushed and there was blood on the high round his head. The person was unrecognisable and there was a damaged vase beside his head,” she stated.
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Gda Tubbert stated she discovered a set of dentures on the footpath with blood on them and that there was a pool of blood contained in the archway.
Walter Burke (56) informed Ms Brennan that he lived alone in Lisdoonvarna and obtained to know the accused man, who he knew as ‘Mossy’, in an area pub within the weeks main as much as Christmas in 2021.
The witness stated that ‘Mossy’ informed him that he was “squatting” in a home “out the highway”. Mr Burke stated he washed the accused’s garments every now and then and knew that the defendant had no electrical energy or cooking services the place he lived. “He would cost his telephone in my home as he had no electrical energy,” he added.
Mr Burke stated the accused sometimes got here to his house and had stayed the evening at the least 3 times.
The witness stated the accused stayed in his home on January fifth they usually had just a few drinks collectively on the next day.
The witness stated the accused left his home at one level on the evening of January sixth. Mr Burke stated the defendant returned to his home earlier than midnight and informed him that he had “a row with any individual”.
“I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it, I assumed it was an argument and that was it,” stated the witness.
The witness stated throughout the evening the accused talked about to him that he felt the row “was extra critical than he first informed me” and that any individual could possibly be damage.
Mr Burke stated the following morning after “a 3rd dialog about it” he started to suppose that the row was extra critical than he had initially thought, that Mr O’Neill could be damage and wish medical assist. The witness rang the emergency companies when the accused went upstairs.
Below cross-examination, Mr Burke informed Michael Bowman SC, defending Mr Lorigan, that he was an alcoholic however had not drunk in two years. He stated that on the time he had been ingesting for the reason that morning of January sixth however had not drunk to extra as he was coming off a binge.
Mr Bowman put it to the witness that Mr Lorigan hadn’t arrived at his home till earlier than midnight on January sixth and was not in his home throughout the day. The witness disagreed with this.
The defence barrister stated the accused’s directions have been that no conversations befell with Mr Burke that evening or the next morning. The witness disagreed with the barrister.
Mr Bowman additional put it to the witness that his shopper would say he by no means wore a pair of denims or boots discovered on the home. Mr Burke replied that so long as he knew Mossy he had all the time worn these boots.
The trial continues on Friday earlier than Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of 5 males and 7 girls.
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