ONE OF the defendants in the Evelyn Joel trial told gardaí he was sorry about what happened to his partner’s mother, saying she was neglected for two to three weeks at her Enniscorthy home, Wexford Circuit Court was told yesterday.
Jonathan Costen (39), Cluain Dara, Enniscorthy, also said he took a telephone from Ms Joel when she rang gardaí, throwing it against a wall in the house and breaking it.
Both Mr Costen and Eleanor Joel (37) deny a charge of the unlawful killing of Evelyn Joel on January 7th, 2006, by neglect, causing her to die of pneumonia, complicating sepsis syndrome due to infected pressure sores from immobilisation due to multiple sclerosis. They also deny a charge of reckless endangerment between December 1st, 2005, and January 1st, 2006.
Det Sgt Terry Butler told the court that Dr Derek Forde from Enniscorthy (who was Ms Joel’s GP) made the initial complaint to gardaí in relation to Ms Joel on January 1st, 2006, and phoned the station later that evening. He said the doctor would be giving evidence at a later stage.
He said he had interviewed medical professionals from Wexford General Hospital, public health nurses, family members, members of the ambulance crew and taxi drivers about what had happened to Ms Joel.
He told Mr Costen at the house that he was being arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment, saying Mr Costen made no reply.
Mr Costen was then taken in an unmarked patrol car to Enniscorthy Garda station. On the way he told the gardaí that he wanted to tell them something.
Det Sgt Garda Butler, who was in the front passenger seat, took a note of what Mr Costen said after cautioning him.
He read out the note of Mr Costen’s statement yesterday: “I am sorry for what happened Evelyn. For my part she was neglected by both of us. This neglect went on for two to three weeks. She was not cleaned, nor was her bed. I don’t know about food.”
During an interview that evening, Mr Costen admitted taking a phone from Ms Joel when she rang gardaí and breaking it.
He told gardaí he did this because he had been drinking, adding that he threw the phone at the wall and it broke. Mr Costen said Ms Joel did not speak to him for a couple of days after this.
The trial continues at Wexford Circuit Court.