News (Media Awareness Project) - Ireland: Woman Kicked To Death Over Cannabis, Trial Told |
| Title: | Ireland: Woman Kicked To Death Over Cannabis, Trial Told |
| Published On: | 1999-10-12 |
| Source: | Irish Independent (Ireland) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 18:08:13 |
WOMAN KICKED TO DEATH OVER CANNABIS, TRIAL TOLD
A MAN accused of murdering his girlfriend in Dublin three years ago had sex
with her dead body and kept it in his flat for three days before giving
himself up, a jury heard yesterday. In the Central Criminal Court, Laurence
(Larry) Callaghan (33), formerly of Strand House, Athlone, denied murder but
pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Janet Mooney (29), between September
17 and 19, 1996 in the flat they shared in Harrington Street, Dublin.
Opening the prosecution case before a jury of 10 men and two women, Mr Sean
Ryan SC said that the evidence would show that after a day spent drinking
and smoking cannabis, the couple had an argument, which according to the
accused, was over the whereabouts of a pounds 5 hash deal Ms Mooney had just
bought.
Ms Mooney was getting ready for bed when the accused asked her where the
second of two hash deals she had earlier bought were. "She told him more or
less to f... off, and at that, he kicked her; he acknowledges he kicked her
severely, and he killed her," said Mr Ryan.
He said the state pathologist's evidence would show she suffered at least
six separate injuries to her head and severe injuries to her chest, with six
fractured ribs on the left side and two on the right side. In addition,
there were 20 bruises to the left of her abdomen and 18 to the right.
On September 19, 1996 Callaghan went to a friend who rang the gardai.
In later admissions to detectives, he said that the morning after he
attacked Ms Mooney, he awoke beside her body and had sex with it. "I didn't
realise she was dead," he told gardai.
Mr Gregory Keelan, a mechanic living at Rathmines Park, said that when he
arrived home at on September 19, the accused was waiting for him.
Callaghan told him that a row had broken out between himself and Janet. He
had kicked her and she had "spewed blood from the mouth".
Mr Keelan immediately rang the gardai. Garda David McDonnell agreed with
defence counsel Mill Arden SC that Callaghan had been very open and frank.
The trial continues.
A MAN accused of murdering his girlfriend in Dublin three years ago had sex
with her dead body and kept it in his flat for three days before giving
himself up, a jury heard yesterday. In the Central Criminal Court, Laurence
(Larry) Callaghan (33), formerly of Strand House, Athlone, denied murder but
pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Janet Mooney (29), between September
17 and 19, 1996 in the flat they shared in Harrington Street, Dublin.
Opening the prosecution case before a jury of 10 men and two women, Mr Sean
Ryan SC said that the evidence would show that after a day spent drinking
and smoking cannabis, the couple had an argument, which according to the
accused, was over the whereabouts of a pounds 5 hash deal Ms Mooney had just
bought.
Ms Mooney was getting ready for bed when the accused asked her where the
second of two hash deals she had earlier bought were. "She told him more or
less to f... off, and at that, he kicked her; he acknowledges he kicked her
severely, and he killed her," said Mr Ryan.
He said the state pathologist's evidence would show she suffered at least
six separate injuries to her head and severe injuries to her chest, with six
fractured ribs on the left side and two on the right side. In addition,
there were 20 bruises to the left of her abdomen and 18 to the right.
On September 19, 1996 Callaghan went to a friend who rang the gardai.
In later admissions to detectives, he said that the morning after he
attacked Ms Mooney, he awoke beside her body and had sex with it. "I didn't
realise she was dead," he told gardai.
Mr Gregory Keelan, a mechanic living at Rathmines Park, said that when he
arrived home at on September 19, the accused was waiting for him.
Callaghan told him that a row had broken out between himself and Janet. He
had kicked her and she had "spewed blood from the mouth".
Mr Keelan immediately rang the gardai. Garda David McDonnell agreed with
defence counsel Mill Arden SC that Callaghan had been very open and frank.
The trial continues.
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