A man accused of murdering his parents told gardai that when he got out of prison the bodies of detectives investigating the case would be found dead in a field, a jury in the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Martin Doherty (27), of St Lelia Street, Limerick, has denied he murdered Mr William Doherty (58), a retired garda, and his wife, Teresa (50) at their home in Monadreen, Thurles, on September 21st, 1998.
Det Garda Pat Linneen, who was based at Thurles Garda station at the time, told the court that hours after the killings the defendant was arrested and taken to Limerick Prison.
While being escorted by gardai, he said he "would get Det Garda O'Hare and myself", Det Garda Linneen said.
The defendant said: "I'll get 10 years. I'll be out in seven [and will be] in regular contact with you. Your bodies will be found dead in a field," Det Garda Linneen told the court.
He said he had interviewed the accused and asked him about his relationship with his parents before the killings.
"I always got on bad with Bill," he replied, according to interview notes. "He didn't like me and he beat me since I was young. I never had a problem with Teresa. Look, I killed them. It was the best night of my life," the notes read.
The notes described the stabbings and how the accused later showered, had a cup of tea and a cheese sandwich and later returned and inflicted further injuries on the deceased couple.
The Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told the court the couple died from multiple lacerations to their bodies. Mrs Doherty had multiple wounds on her head, face, back, front body, hands, left arm, right leg and feet, with considerable injury caused to her neck. Dr Cassidy said she had suffered 14 stab wounds, several puncture wounds and 29 incise wounds on her lower body. Only her lower back and left leg escaped injury, she said.
She suffered a number of defence injuries to her hands which, Dr Cassidy said, could have been caused by her attempting to grab a knife in the course of the attack. Her cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the body and a stab wound to the neck with the weapon penetrating the main jugular through to the spine.
Mr Doherty had suffered mutilation of the nose and ear, lacerations to the forehead, cheek, left arm, front trunk, lower abdominal area, left leg, knee and toes. His cause of death was stab wounds to his front trunk, upper back, limbs and legs.
Blistering was found on both bodies, consistent with their having boiling water poured over them, and many of their injuries were caused after they had died, the court heard.
Dr Cassidy agreed with Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, defending, that there had been "indiscriminate stabbing at both victims" and that the injuries were "haphazardly arranged". Asked if their assailant was in a "frenzy" at the time of the attack, Dr Cassidy said the word "frenzy" implied an insight into the state of mind, upon which she felt unable to comment.
She said the multiple injuries indicated there had been a violent struggle, but could not rule out a frenzy. Asked by Mr MacEntee if the injuries were consistent with someone "slashing out blindly", Dr Cassidy agreed they were.
The trial before Mr Justice Murphy and a jury of six men and six women continues on Monday.