DOCUMENTS RELATING to the investigation into the killing of Una Lynskey in 1971 were stored in a disused toilet after they were moved from a “rat-infested” former Garda station, the Court of Criminal Appeal heard yesterday.
Supt Enda Walsh told the three-judge court that material related to the 19-year-old’s death had to be stored in “refuse sacks” after it was moved to Drogheda Garda station from a derelict Garda station in Co Meath because of the threat of disease from “rats’ urine”.
He was testifying on the fifth day of the hearing of an application by a Meath man to have his conviction for the manslaughter of Ms Lynskey almost 40 years ago declared a miscarriage of justice.
Martin Conmey, now 59, of Porterstown Lane in Ratoath, claims “newly discovered facts” will prove he was not responsible for her death. The appeal hearing is expected to conclude today.
Ms Lynskey’s body was discovered on December 10th, 1971, in a ditch in a remote part of the Dublin Mountains two months after she vanished while returning to her family home after work.
Supt Walsh told Hugh Hartnett, for Mr Conmey, that in 1997 he was given the responsibility of retaining all Garda documentation related to the case while he was an inspector at Rathmines Garda station.
He told the court that material forming “the residue” of the Garda investigation in 1971 was retained at Drogheda Garda station, but that it had to be stored in refuse sacks and kept in a disused ladies’ toilet because of the threat of disease.
The files previously lay in the former Garda station in Dunshaughlin, a building which had become “rat-infested”.
The hearing is taking place before the Court of Criminal Appeal with Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman presiding, sitting with Mr Justice Declan Budd and Mr Justice Eamon de Valera.