A neighbour of a 22-year-old Cork man on trial for the rape and murder of beautician Rachel Kiely has claimed the accused told him the dead woman had been "beaten and raped" on the evening her body was found.
Josephine McCoy was giving evidence in the trial of a then 16-year-old local man who denies raping and murdering Rachel Kiely at the Regional Park in Ballincollig on October 26th, 2000. He has admitted to her manslaughter.
Ms McCoy agreed with Patrick J McCarthy SC, prosecuting, that she had seen an ambulance in the Regional Park at around 8.30pm.
Between then and 8.45pm she said she met the accused and asked him if he knew what had happened. "He just said Rachel Kiely was beaten and raped," she said.
Asked by Brendan Grehan SC, defending, whether she was aware that that was the speculation at the time and that another witness, Anthony McCullagh, had said the same thing in a local chip shop she replied: "No, not at the time."
However, the witness admitted that she had not made a statement to gardaí about this alleged comment until November 13th, 2000.
"I take it from that, that it didn't strike you as particularly odd or sinister what was said at the time. Otherwise you would have brought it to the attention of gardaí?" Mr Grehan asked.
"At the time we were just in complete shock," Ms McCoy said.
She accepted that November 13th was after the accused had been charged. The case is to resume tomorrow.