A MAN accused of murder spoke to his girlfriend about killing his wife, the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday. However, the girlfriend said she thought he was joking. The next day, the prosecution claims, Mr Michael Halligan (38) went to his former home and stabbed his wife to death.
Mr Halligan, formerly of Buttercup Park, Darndale, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, Martina (33), at that address on May 5th last year.
In court yesterday his girlfriend, Ms Caroline Stayte, said she had formed a relationship with Mr Halligan when they lived at Reading in England. He told her he had to return to Ireland to collect furniture from his house and sort things out with his wife and that he would be back two days later.
Ms Stayte said Mr Halligan continually said he hated his wife and that she was living in his house.
"While he was preparing sandwiches for the journey he said something about killing his wife, but I didn't think he was serious. I thought it was just a joke," she said.
The following morning Mrs Halligan's son by a previous relationship, Shane (8), was woken by knocking at the front door.
In a statement read to the court, Shane said he heard Mr Halligan shouting. His mother ran into her bedroom with Mr Halligan after her. Shane said Mr Halligan had blood on his jumper and on his mouth and chin.
Mrs Halligan was saying: "I am sorry, I will get them back for you." Mr Halligan was slapping her in the face and shouting: "Sorry is no good. Get the bike back and get the bunk beds back and get the single bed back."
Shane said he saw a knife sticking out of the pocket of Mr Halligan's jeans. Mrs Halligan then ran out of the house pursued by Mr Halligan.
The boy went downstairs and saw Mr Halligan coming back around the corner of the house. He threw a bloody knife on to the stairs and left. Shane said he threw the knife over a fence because he was afraid.
Mrs Halligan's neighbour, Mrs Jean Doyle, said she was woken by the sound of glass breaking in her kitchen window. When she went outside she found a woman lying under the window covered in blood. She screamed for help.
Another neighbour, Mrs Bernie Menton, came to help. She said she had done a first aid course and searched for a pulse but found none.
A next-door neighbour, Ms Natasha Spencer, said she bad heard a man and woman shouting. She heard the woman shout: "Help, he's trying to kill me."
Mr Halligan's mother, Mrs Joan Halligan, of Harmonstown, Dublin, said her son called to her house later on the morning of the killing. "He was crying when he arrived. He said he was after killing his wife. He said he didn't mean to do it."
The trial before Mr Justice Morris and a jury continues today.