A WOMAN whose husband is on trial for her murder claimed she had been assaulted less than two weeks before she disappeared, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard.
John O'Brien (41), Ballinakill Downs, Co Waterford, denies murdering Meg Walsh (35) between October 1st and October 15th, 2006.
Dr Bernadette O'Leary told Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, , that Ms Walsh visited her practice on September 22nd, 2006, and told her she had been assaulted two days previously.
Dr O'Leary said Ms Walsh had bruising and swelling on her right and left hands and also to her right shoulder. She seemed very distressed and Dr O'Leary said she advised her to contact the gardaí.
The jury also heard from Owen Walsh, who told Mr Buckley that he had met Ms Walsh and Mr O'Brien the night before she disappeared.
He said the couple were part of the regular crowd who drank in the Woodlands Hotel. He said his wife was out of town on the weekend beginning September 30th. That night he arrived at the bar at about 10pm.
He joined the group, including Ms Walsh and Mr O'Brien, and they stayed in the bar until closing time. They then moved out to the lobby and continued drinking.
Mr Walsh told Mr Buckley he had been drinking pints of Heineken, Ms Walsh was drinking Ritz and Mr O'Brien was drinking pints of lager. He told Paddy McCarthy SC, defending, that he had drunk about six pints in the bar and about three Bacardi and Cokes in the lobby.
He described himself as "merry" and said Ms Walsh was the same, although Mr O'Brien did not seem drunk. At about 4am, Mr Walsh accepted an invitation to return with Mr O'Brien and Ms Walsh to their home.
When they got there, Mr O'Brien got him another Bacardi and Coke and offered him some pizza, which he refused. By this time it was getting light.
Mr Walsh said Ms Walsh asked Mr O'Brien if he could stay the night and the three of them went upstairs. Ms Walsh showed him the room he would be sleeping in, her daughter's room, and kissed him goodnight. He kissed her back. He told Mr Buckley it was just a quick peck.
As he was kissing her back, Mr O'Brien walked into the room. Mr Walsh said he told him: "It's just the drink, nothing happened."
Mr O'Brien replied: "You get out, get out of the house." Mr Walsh said the second time Mr O'Brien ordered him out of the house, his tone was aggressive.
Mr Walsh said he immediately went downstairs and grabbed his coat, before leaving the house. It was about 8am. He went home.
He said the following day he received a call from Mr O'Brien telling him that Ms Walsh had not been seen since Sunday and had not turned up for work on the Monday. Mr Walsh agreed with Mr McCarthy that Mr O'Brien asked him whether Ms Walsh was with him and that he thought he would come round to the house, although he did not see him there.
He told Mr McCarthy, in cross examination, that he worked in Waterford port and crossed the river every day to and from work.
He had not spoken to Ms Walsh after leaving her house and did not know why he had made a call to her phone at about 3.25am, while they were still at the hotel. "I don't recall making a phone call to Meg at that time because she was sitting right there. I didn't make the phone call."
He did not know either how make-up had got on to the inside of his shirt. He agreed he had phoned Ms Walsh after receiving the call from her husband but said he had both their numbers as the crowd in the bar would text each other jokes.
The trial continues this afternoon before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury. It is expected to last three weeks.