The daughter of a woman whose body was pulled out a river two weeks after she went missing from the family home texted a member of her step father’s family offering to help him because she couldn’t live with not knowing what happened to her mother, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard.
Sasha Keating (18), daughter of Meg Walsh, texted her stepfather’s sister last July after a night of drinking. She told defence counsel Iseult O’Malley SC in cross examination, that she regretted sending the text at about 3.45am
The text, sent to Theresa O’Brien, read: “Hey, I’m the only one that wants to help you now so please listen to me. Will you listen? John is still my step father. Believe me or not but I want to help him. Will you listen? I really hate seeing anyone in this state. Will you listen please?”
Bus driver, John O’Brien (41) with an address in Ballinakill Downs, Co Waterford denies murdering the 35-year-old mother of one on a date between October 1st 2006 and October 15th 2006.
Ms Keating told Ms O’Malley, “I sent that because I was afraid he was in such a state he would do something to himself. I couldn’t live with not knowing what happened to my mother. I needed him to tell me what he did to her.”
She told Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, that Mr O’Brien called her at 8.30 on October 14th and asked her if she was all right. “He said he was just back home and if I wanted to go to the house to collect any of my things.”
Ms Keating said she didn’t have much in the house but asked him if she could collect all her mother’s stuff. Mr O’Brien agreed. She said she didn’t go to the house for several weeks after the call since her mother’s body was found the following day.
The court heard from Harry Condon, who used his boat to take part in the search for Ms Walsh on October 15th 2006.
Ms Walsh’s body was found floating face down in the water by another person taking part in the search at about 3pm, Mr Condon said.
The court also heard from other witnesses in relation to the movements of Mr O’Brien’s car on October 1st 2006.
Another witness, Nicky Farrell, told prosecuting counsel he lived with his parents in a house directly behind Mr O’Brien’s house.
He was having breakfast with his family at around midday on Sunday October 1st. From the kitchen table he could see the back of the other house. As he was eating his breakfast he looked out and saw Meg Walsh in an upstairs bedroom. She appeared to be putting clothes away, he said.
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury of seven men and five women. It is expected to last three weeks.