A WOMAN who went to Wales on the eve of her murder trial last Tuesday has been given until 11am today by Mr Justice Paul Carney to appear before the Central Criminal Court which is sitting in Galway.
Una Black (25), Droim Chaoin, Bishop O'Donnell Road, Galway, formerly Walter Macken Flats, Mervue, Galway, is charged with the murder of John Malone (42), at Walter Macken Flats, Mervue, on December 3rd last year.
Ms Black was due to appear for her trial before the Central Criminal Court - sitting in Galway for the second time since the foundation of the State - on Tuesday, but it later emerged she had gone to Wales by ferry the night before.
Det Supt PJ Durkan told the court that Ms Black went by ferry from Rosslare to Fishguard on the 9.15pm sailing on Monday.
Aileen Donnelly SC, prosecuting, said information came through late on Tuesday to Ms Black's defence team that she would return by ferry on Wednesday, and gardaí monitored that.
A ticket was booked in Ms Black's name but she never boarded the ferry. Supt Durkan said he believed she was still in Wales.
Her mother, Geraldine Black, interrupted proceedings to apologise to Mr Justice Carney.
He said that the court had put in place elaborate measures to ensure jurors would not know what was going on to avoid prejudicing the trial, but Ms Black's mother was "busily feeding" them information.
Mr Justice Carney said that when he came into Galway courthouse, everybody had made assumptions about what he was going to do "and I do not like that".
He explained to the jurors that details had been kept from them and the public so that when Ms Black did return, she would receive a fair trial.
"But her mother prejudiced all of that by telling everyone what was going on," he said. "We were told she was going to take a boat back but she didn't. She is still in Wales. The gardaí know where she is.
Mr Justice Carney added: "I know that the European arrest warrants have been extremely effective in the experience of this court and this court has had people back within a matter of days on European arrest warrants.
"She should be notified that it is known where she is and that I will entertain a European arrest warrant for her arrest in the morning."
Mr Justice Carney said extremely strong representations had been made to the court to have the trial in Galway and the court had agreed to that, but he said the trial would now have to take place in Dublin.
"Her mother frustrated the arrangements put in place by this court and it's a matter for the DPP whether or not any action should be taken against her," he said.