A murder trial has heard that Co Laois woman Aoife Phelan was not pregnant when she was strangled to death.
The trial was hearing from State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy, who carried out the autopsy on the 30-year-old’s body after it was discovered buried on the accused man’s property.
Robert Corbet (25) of Capoley, Sheffield Cross, Laois, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Phelan, who worked as a nanny at Capoley. He has admitted her manslaughter between October 25th and November 7th, when gardaí found her body in a barrel.
Prof Cassidy testified yesterday that she visited the scene behind Mr Corbet's home on the afternoon of the discovery. She told the Central Criminal Court that a metal barrel had been found several feet below ground.
Asphyxia
The pathologist found prominent signs of asphyxia and said there was also evidence of a minor assault, with punches or slaps to her head. She was of the opinion that she was assaulted first and then strangled.
She said there was no evidence of Ms Phelan struggling in the barrel, so she was either deeply unconscious or dead when put inside.
She gave her cause of death as asphyxia due to strangulation, with blunt force trauma a contributory fact. Prof Cassidy also said Ms Phelan was not pregnant at the time of her death. She agreed with Conor Devally SC, defending, that she had never been pregnant.
The trial heard that Ms Phelan had told the accused that she was pregnant with his baby. He told gardaí that he killed her because her pregnancy was going to scupper his relationship with his ex-girlfriend.
The trial continues today.