Man accused of 2008 murder of Romanian teen to face trial

A 33-year-old man charged with the murder of Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas, who went missing from Dublin in 2008, has been sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

The body of 18-year-old Marioara was discovered following an 13-day search in the Wicklow Mountains in January this year. Her semi-decomposed remains were discovered in a shallow grave at Kippure near Manor Kilbride.

An autopsy revealed that Marioara, who arrived in Dublin only three weeks before her disappearance, had been shot in the head.

She was last seen alive by her 15-year-old brother on Jan 6, 2008, as she was getting into a car, while they were out begging on Lombard St in Dublin’s south inner city.

On Apr 5, Alan Wilson, of New St Gardens, Dublin 8, was remanded in custody after he was charged with the murder of the 18-year-old at 2 Brabazon St on Jan 8, 2008.

Det Insp Michael Cryan had said Mr Wilson replied: “I didn’t do this” when he was cautioned and charged.

Yesterday, Mr Wilson appeared again at Cloverhill District Court where he was served with a book of evidence by Det Insp Cryan. Judge John Lindsay heard the DPP consented to Mr Wilson being returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

The judge acceded to a request from defence solicitor Donough Molloy to grant legal aid including representation of two barristers.

Mr Wilson stood up after the book of evidence was served on him and the judge informed him that if he intended to use an alibi in his defence, he must give the prosecution written notification within 14 days.

Dressed in a striped shirt and black trousers, Mr Wilson did not address the court.

His mother was in the public gallery and blew him a kiss at the end of the brief hearing.

Mr Wilson’s case will be listed during the Central Criminal Court’s next term which begins in October.

Marioara Rostas was one of 15 children born in Timisoara in Romania. Her parents, Marioara Sr and Dimitru, a horse dealer, came to Ireland in 2007 and were later joined by their daughter.

Marioara and family members began living in an abandoned bungalow on the outskirts of Donabate, in north Co Dublin; the family’s home had broken windows rubble blocking the driveway but no running water or electricity.