Accused’s DNA in condom found near Manuela’s body, court hears

THE trial of a man accused of murdering Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo in Galway in 2007 has heard that his DNA was found in a used condom near her body.

The jury heard that Ms Riedo’s body was found in an area of wasteland beside a walkway, known locally as ‘The Line’.

Gerald Barry, aged 28, of Rosan Glas, Rahoon, Galway, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Riedo, 17, at Lough Atalia, Renmore, Galway on October 8, 2007.

He has pleaded guilty to stealing a camera and a mobile phone at the same place on the same date.

Sam Beardon told Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, that he was walking to work on October 9, 2007, along a shortcut below ‘The Line’. He said that at about 9.15am he noticed a rucksack “in the middle of a clump of bushes, on a muddy path”.

Mr Beardon said that he had travelled the same route the evening before and had noticed nothing. He also noticed a purse on the ground.

The jury heard that Mr Beardon then noticed “something pale in colour”.

He looked a second time and realised it was “the body of a female, not clothed from the waist down, other than a pair of panties”.

“A coat was covering the upper front of her body including the head.”

Mr Beardon said that he called 999. He met the gardaí and directed them to the scene.

Dr Dennis Higgins told the court that he arrived at the scene at 10.45 that morning.

He said that “a naked female was lying supine on the ground. Her right leg was bent at the knee”.

He noted that the pupils were “fixed and dilated” and that she had no pulse.

Dr Higgins pronounced her dead at 11.05am.

He also noted an “abrasion on the left side of her forehead and bruising on the lower neck”. He said that her death appeared to have been recent.

Christian Klingle told the court that he is a teacher in Freiburg School in Switzerland.

He said that the school brings students to Ireland every year to learn English and that, in October 2007, he and a colleague travelled to Galway with 43 students.

Mr Klingle said that they arrived in Galway on Saturday night, October 6, and that language schools there had organised accommodation for the students.

Mr Klingle said that he met the students the following day, Sunday, in Eyre Square. Manuela Riedo was part of the group.

Mr Klingle said that he met Manuela later with her friends that evening in the King’s Head pub.

The next day, Mr Klingle met a colleague in the King’s Head for lunch. Some students arrived. Manuela was not part of that group.

He remained with the students until 11pm. One of Manuela’s friends arrived at 9pm.

Mr Klingle said that he noted within some minutes of the girl’s arrival that Manuela was not there.

He said that he did not see Manuela at all that Monday.

Mr Klingle said that the next day, Tuesday, he was with his colleague, Kimberley Kramer-Bertschy and that Ms Kramer-Bertschy received a call.

Mr Klingle then tried to contact Manuela on her mobile phone but received no reply. He also tried to send her a text message but the message did not go through.

Mr Klingle told the court that he reported Manuela missing later that day.

Ms Kramer-Bertschy told the court that she advised the students before they left for Ireland that “girls shouldn’t walk alone at night”.

Ms Kramer-Bertschy told the court that she was informed on Tuesday, October 9, that Manuela hadn’t shown up for school.

The court heard that Manuela had agreed to meet up with friends in the King’s Head the previous evening but hadn’t shown up.

Ms Kramer-Bertschy told the jury that she went to the mortuary of University Hospital Galway on the night of October 9 and confirmed the body of a young female was Manuela Riedo.

Earlier, opening the prosecution case, Ms Kennedy said evidence will be heard from State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy that the cause of Manuela’s death was “asphyxia due to neck compression”.

Ms Kennedy said evidence will also be heard from Dr David Casey of the Forensic Science Laboratory that he attended the scene of the alleged murder and “found a used condom snagged in the bushes near the body”.

Evidence will be heard of “DNA analysis carried out and that DNA was found within the contents of the condom and found to be that of the accused”.

The jury will also hear that a “mixed DNA profile” was found on the outside of the condom and was matched to the accused and the deceased.

Ms Kennedy said that evidence will be heard that the home of the accused was searched by gardaí and that a camera was found in the bedroom.

Ms Kennedy said the jury will also hear evidence that Manuela was staying in Renmore Park with her host family, the Tierneys.

She said that Martin Tierney will give evidence that Manuela came home at 5.30pm on October 8, had dinner, and left the house between 7pm and 10pm, and that was the last time he saw her alive.