A Dublin man went on trial at the Central Criminal Court yesterday for the murder of a 72-year-old woman found partially naked and severely beaten at her home.
Mr Richard Kearney (19), of Finglas Place, Finglas, has pleaded not guilty to the charge that on dates unknown between November 23rd and 25th, 1998, he murdered Mary Dillon (72) of Beneavin Road, Finglas, at her home.
Mr Kearney also denied charges of trespass and attempted theft and that he trespassed at Ms Dillon's home on the previous March 17th that year while attempting to steal her Fiat car.
He also denied trespassing on Ms Dillon's premises on November 23rd, 1998, intending to steal a car radio from her car.
Opening the case, Mr Denis Vaughan-Buckley SC, prosecuting, told the jury that Ms Dillon was last seen alive by a friend on November 23rd, 1998, and had left to get the bus home at around 10.30 p.m. Two days later another friend, who had previously arranged to meet Ms Dillon that day, grew increasingly concerned about her after knocking repeatedly at her door and getting no reply.
The friend went to Finglas Garda station and reported the matter and when gardai arrived at Ms Dillon's home, she was found partially naked in her garage, having been severely beaten. She was pronounced dead that morning.
Mr Buckley told the court that the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, who performed the post-mortem examination, concluded that Ms Dillon had suffered extensive injuries, including fractures of the left facial bones and skull, a dislocated shoulder and blunt force trauma to the head and chest.
"She was beaten to death very severely, according to the evidence of Dr Cassidy," Mr Buckley said.
Much of the prosecution case relied on forensic evidence, Mr Buckley said, adding that the forensic scientist in the case was satisfied that a thumb mark in blood found on the bonnet of Ms Dillon's car at the scene matched that of Mr Kearney. He said the blood in which the thumb mark appeared was DNA tested and the forensic scientist responsible would give evidence that they were satisfied that the blood belonged to Ms Dillon.
Mr Buckley also said evidence would be produced that blood found on a pair of runners belonging to Mr Kearney matched Ms Dillon's blood and a bloodstain on her bra matched Mr Kearney's.
Garda Michael Wall, of the Forensic Science Laboratory, in Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park, told the court he inspected samples of finger marks taken from the car at the scene of the crime and compared these with specimen finger marks taken from the Mr Kearney.
The trial, before Mr Kevin O'Higgins and a jury of eight men and four women, continues today.