A jury has heard evidence in the form of two statements from the former partner of a man on trial for a 1997 double murder.
Mark Nash (42), who has last addresses at Prussia Street and Clonliffe Road in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) between March 6th and March 7th, 1997.
The court heard that on August 16th, 1997, Sarah Jane Doyle was the victim of a serious assault in a house in Ballintober, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, where Carl and Catherine Doyle were murdered.
The accused, Mark Nash, was then arrested in Galway for the assault of Sarah Jane Doyle in the house.
On Monday in court, counsel for the State, Brendan Grehan SC, read two statements from Mark Nash’s former partner, Sarah Jane Doyle (36), on how she first met the accused.
Justice Carroll Moran told the jury of six men and five women that the law allows a statement to be read from a witness and they could give it the same reliance as if the person had given evidence in the witness box.
The first statement from Ms Doyle was taken on August 16th, 1997, by Det Sgt Dominic Hayes.
Seven children
The court heard how Ms Doyle was the third youngest of seven children, four girls and three boys. She had worked in Supervalu upon leaving school in 1995.
Mr Grehan read to the court how, on March 13th, 1997, her son was born, and two to three weeks later, herself and her sister went to the Vatican bar in Dublin city centre.
The court heard that here she got talking to a man by the name of Mark Nash, who said he was from Leeds.
Mr Grehan read: “He was foreign-looking, had curly hair and was with his three friends in the nightclub. I talked to him all night and danced with him.
“He was drinking Southern Comfort. He sold advertising on bus shelters and said he lived in a flat.”
The court heard he told Ms Doyle his grandmother lived in Ballina in Mayo and her surname was Nash.
Reading from the statement, Mr Grehan said Mark Nash told Ms Doyle he had a daughter.
The court heard that the next day, Ms Doyle and her son met Mark Nash and his daughter outside Burger King on O’Connell Street.
The jury heard they began seeing each other regularly after this, and at weekends Mark Nash would go to her house, or Ms Doyle to his.
Mr Grehan read from the statement that a month later Ms Doyle moved to Prussia Street, and that Mark Nash’s previous girlfriend was also living there at the time.
“We got a flat then on Manor Street for three weeks but it wasn’t suitable and we then moved to Clonliffe Road. Mark was then offered a new job with Dublin Direct,” read Mr Grehan.
Roscommon visit
The court heard that on August 15th, 1997, Ms Doyle decided that Mark and herself and the two children would visit her sister for two nights in Roscommon.
The second statement read by Mr Grehan from Sarah Jane Doyle was taken at Beaumont Hospital after she had received a letter in the post from Mark Nash and the court heard she recognised the writing.
Mr Grehan told the court the sealed envelope was addressed to “Head Injuries” at Beaumont Hospital and contained a three-page letter to Ms Doyle.
The court heard the short note began, “Sarah there is a letter at home for you which you also should read.”
In the statement, Ms Doyle said Mark Nash had enclosed £150 but there were seven £20 pound notes totalling £140.
Previous letters
The court heard how Mark Nash had previously written letters to Ms Doyle.
Reading from the statement, Mr Grehan said Ms Doyle gave permission in her statement for gardaí to search their house.
Jennifer Dixon, sister of Sarah Jane Doyle, was called as a witness and told the court how her older sister Catherine had married Carl Doyle before 1997 and moved to Ballintober in Roscommon under the rural resettlement scheme.
When put to her by Mr Grehan, she agreed her other sister Sarah Jane Doyle had formed a relationship with Mark Nash.
Letter unopened
Ms Nixon told the court she was present in her mother’s house in Blanchardstown on August 19th, 1997, when a letter arrived from the accused addressed to her sister Sarah Jane Doyle.
She handed the unopened letter to gardaí.
The court also heard from Det John Leonard, an expert witness in the Document and Handwriting Section of An Garda Síochána in the Phoenix Park since 2003.
He said the letters seemed to “be done naturally and not in hesitation or disguise”. They were written “fluently” in block capitals.
“There are common handwriting features from all documents, with no sign of difference, it shows the letters were written by the same person,” Mr Leonard told the court.
The trial continues.