Accused ‘had scratches on his hands’

The trial of a retired member of the defence forces accused of murdering a woman in Co Westmeath has heard evidence that he had bloodshot eyes and scratches on his hands on the night in question.

Jimmy Devaney, aged 66, of Millbrook Avenue, Monksland, Athlone, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Marie Greene in Westmeath on February 13, 2011.

The court has heard that Ms Greene, who was working as a prostitute, was last seen alive on February 13 and her body was found in a bog near Ballykieran outside Athlone nine days later.

It has also heard that the accused was playing cards in the Lighthouse Casino in the town that night and was the first to sign in to avail of an ‘earlybird chip’ before leaving and returning later that evening.

Fergus Joseph Kenny gave evidence that he ran the tournaments in the casino and said the manager would be in at 7.30pm with him arriving around 8pm.

When asked what time Mr Devaney came back that night, he replied: “I can’t be exactly sure but around 9.

“Jimmy came in and sat at seat 8… He was flustered at the time, I assumed at the time he was flustered because he was late,” said Mr Kenny.

He told Alex Owens, prosecuting, there were cuts on Mr Devaney’s knuckles and his shirt was torn on his right hand.

Mr Kenny testified that he asked the accused what happened to his hand.

“He replied by saying ‘I had to give a lad a tow’,” Mr Kenny told the court.

He said Mr Devaney told him he got the scratches because he fell in a ditch when he was getting out of the car.

Mr Kenny told the court Mr Devaney was getting very agitated and very aggressive.

He said the card dealer noticed his eye was bloodshot before the other people present saw that also.

Ray Murphy said he was present at the poker game in the casino at 8.15pm and the tournament started at 9pm.

He said Mr Devaney arrived in at 9pm and there was a comment made about his shirt being torn and blood on his sleeve.

The prosecution alleges Mr Devaney stabbed Ms Greene six times and murdered her because she was blackmailing him that she would tell his wife he was a client. The trial continues on Tuesday.