The jury in the trial of a man charged with the manslaughter of a 50-year old woman who died in a house fire has retired to consider its verdict.
Jason Murphy (36) of Clonmel, Co Tipperary denies the manslaughter of Ann-Marie O’Neill (50) on April 27, 2007.
He also denies two counts of arson.
Mrs O’Neill died after a fire started in her husband’s car outside their home at 202 Elm Park, Clonmel and spread to the house at about 5.30am.
Her husband Patrick O’Neill gave evidence of how he jumped from a first-floor bedroom to escape the blaze, breaking his ankle in the process, but that his wife was unable to jump and died in the fire.
The trial head that couple Janette Cody and Jonathan Dennehy told gardaí they heard Jason Murphy say he had “lit the fire” in a car and that he “didn’t mean to hurt anybody”.
However, both gave evidence this week saying they only made the allegations because gardaí told them they would go to prison for five-years for withholding information and were told their children would be taken away if they didn’t say those things about Mr Murphy.
Charging the jury, Judge Thomas Teehan said the “central nub” of the case was whether they found Ms Cody’s and Mr Dennehy’s statements had been made “voluntarily” and whether they considered them “reliable” or not.