‘What was his state of mind at that time’
But the Rosary beads twisting constantly in his hands were perhaps a better clue to his true emotions.
The engineering student, who lived less than 60 feet away from the boy he is accused of murdering, is at the centre of one of the most high-profile trials in recent Irish history.
It is less than 11 months since the discovery of Robert Holohan’s body near a desolate beach shocked the nation.
Robert came from a stable family and a supposedly safe rural area outside of Midleton. He was a typical schoolboy; loved soccer and cycling and was afraid of the dark.
Wayne O’Donoghue was among the 3,000 people involved in the eight-day search for him but the hunter soon became the hunted.
He was brought into the Central Criminal Court in Cork yesterday by two gardaí and was asked to rise while the murder charge against him was read out.
When he was asked how he pleaded, he replied in a clear voice: “Not guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter.”
His parents Ray and Therese sat closely together in the public gallery at the rear of the court. They were joined by around 40 other members of the public who were almost outnumbered by the number of reporters covering the trial.
The parents of Robert Holohan, Majella and Mark, were both dressed in black and sat at the front of the room. They showed some signs of emotion but generally remained composed during the long opening statement which contained often horrific details about their son’s final hours.
Senior counsel Shane Murphy, representing the prosecution, told the jury of seven women and five men that they had to put themselves in Wayne O’Donoghue’s shoes when he met Robert Holohan on January 4.
“What was his state of mind at that time?” That is the key question which will be played out during the rest of the trial, which is expected to last between two to three weeks.
