Husband denies leaving Meg’s car in city car park

JOHN O’Brien told the court that he used his wife’s silver Mitsubishi Carisma on several occasions and had frequently put things in the boot, where his DNA was found by forensic investigators.

He said he had not been driving the car on Monday, October 2, the night it was abandoned in the Uluru carpark in Waterford city centre.

He said he had been parked in the nearby Tesco car park watching the house of Owen Walsh, the man Meg had kissed the previous night and who he thought she had left to be with. He left about 9pm.

O’Brien did not answer when told that no dark-coloured Mazda car had been seen leaving the Tesco car park at this time, although one did leave at 10.08pm, five minutes after the Carisma was left in the Uluru car park.

He said he had picked up a message on his phone at 9.38pm on the Waterford Castle turn-off towards the Dunmore Road. When asked why the alarm at his house, a few minutes away, was not switched off until 10.11pm, he said he had driven back into Waterford to look for Meg’s car parked outside a friend’s house for a second time.

Samantha Raincock, an independent expert called by the defence, told Mr McCarthy that the cells that picked up O’Brien’s call when he called his message service at 9.38pm could have picked up his signal from the Waterford Castle turning. She agreed with Dominic McGinn, prosecuting, that the same masts covered the Uluru car park where the prosecution claim O’Brien was at the time.

Edward Flahavan, a consultant engineer, told Mr McCarthy that a hot-wash on the washing machine at the O’Brien’s house would have taken almost two hours. It has been suggested that O’Brien washed some clothes when he returned home in his lunch hour on October 2. Gardaí noted the temperature dial was turned to 90C.

Gregory Manberg told Mr McCarthy that he had seen Meg’s silver Carisma at 6.20pm. It was driven by a well-built, dark-haired man.

Mr Manberg said he had noticed the Carisma because he thought it was his boss checking up on the staff. He said he was a mechanic by trade and had a habit of noting down licence numbers and makes of cars.

The trial continues in its final stages today before Mr Justice Barry White, when the prosecution and defence will make their closing speeches.