Lillis told mistress of row ‘over bins’

A TV advertising producer accused of murder described to his mistress how he and his wife had a violent row over his failure to put out rubbish on the morning she died, a court heard.

The murder trial of Eamonn Lillis at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday heard dramatic evidence from a young beauty therapist with whom he was having an extra-marital affair at the time. Jean Treacy, 32, said Lillis had insisted on giving her an explanation sometime around February last year – several months after the death of his wife, Celine Cawley.

The 52-year-old businessman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Cawley, 46, at their family home at Rowan Hill, Windgate Road, Howth, on December 15, 2008.