Joel case: ‘I would have killed myself or gone mental’

ONE of the accused in his statement to investigating gardaí, told the trial into the death of Evelyn Joel, that “it was going to come to the point when I would kill myself or go mental”.

In written statements to Detective Sergeant Terri Butler and Detective Garda Dermot Saunders, read into the trial, Jonathan Costen also said “that there would be some relief if I had gone into a room and saw her dead.

“Eleanor had got to the stage she could not cope with me and would throw me out and keep her mother.”

Costen and Eleanor Joel, of 37 Cluain Dara, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, have pleaded not guilty to unlawful killing by neglect and reckless endangerment of Evelyn Joel between December 1, 2005, and January 7, 2006.

Wexford Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday from statements of Costen that Evelyn Joel was a difficult woman to mind while they were not getting any outside help and that was having a toll on his relationship with Eleanor.

The accused in his statement also described Evelyn Joel as a difficult person.

“We wanted her to go into a home but she refused as we felt we were out of our depth.

“We neglected her in not getting her help, nurses, doctors. My neglect was by ignoring the situation,” he said.

The trial continues.