Brother could be very evil, says sister

One of two siblings on trial accused of the murder of a 63-year-old man told gardaí in an interview that her brother could be “extremely violent” and “very evil” at times, a jury has heard.

Kenneth Cummins, aged 28, and Sabrina Cummins, aged 37, with an address at Ringsend Park, Dublin 4, have both pleaded not guilty to murdering Thomas Horan at Cambridge Court, Ringsend on January 6 last year.

Garret Baker, prosecuting, yesterday called Detective Garda David Wogan, who is attached to Donnybrook Garda Station to give evidence.

Mr Baker told the court Det Garda Wogan arrested Sabrina Cummins on January 8, 2014, for the suspected murder of Mr Horan.

Mr Baker told the jury there were five interviews in total conducted with Ms Cummins.

Reading from the first statement given by Ms Cummins, the barrister told the jury that Ms Cummins asked Thomas Horan for a lend of money when she arrived at his bedsit with her brother Kenneth on January 6.

“I’ve borrowed money off Tom so many times, I know him very well.”

Ms Cummins said: “Let me tell you something when Kenneth drinks he does bad stuff.”

In Ms Cummins second statement she told gardaí her brother Kenneth could “be very evil at times.”

In this statement, Ms Cummins said she knew Mr Horan since she was 18 years of age and he was like a father to her because her own father was not around. “I met Tom through my sister Breda in Ranelagh who is now deceased. He was always very good to me and I use to stay with him a lot.”

In the third interview taken by Det Garda Wogan on January 9, 2014, the court heard Ms Cummins and Mr Horan “never fought”.

The final interview conducted by Det Garda Wogan with the co-accused was on January 9, 2014.

“It was me and my brother, things got out of hand and it shouldn’t have. I’m terrified of going to jail. Kenneth can be extremely violent, it just got out of hand.

“I lost the head as well, I pulled Tom by the hair and gave him a punch, I kicked him in the leg and told him to shut his mouth or Kenny would kill him. It’s a horrible thing to do and it went wrong, I’m so sorry, it’s a horrible accident,” said Ms Cummins to gardaí.

Later in the interview Ms Cummins told gardaí: “I hurt Tom and I’m sorry. We killed Tom. I had a part with the belt, a part with the plastic bag and a part with the bottle and I’m sorry.”

The court heard Ms Cumins told Thomas Horan that Kenneth was a taxi driver to get €50 from him.

“Tom said he didn’t have anymore money. Tom told Kenneth to leave and he wouldn’t,” said Ms Cummins to gardaí.

In the statement the court heard Ms Cummins put her hands around Tom’s neck.

“I held the belt, Kenneth put it on, I wasn’t strong enough to pull it. I I went to bathroom and got a bottle, a white clear one.”

Gardaí asked Ms Cummins did Kenneth hold Tom’s arm when she poured the liquid into Tom’s mouth?

“Yes. I attacked Tom in his right side with a fork,” said Ms Cummins.

When asked by gardaí what led to this if Tom was a friend?

Ms Cummins replied saying her brother Kenneth said Tom had said stuff about her sister Breda.

Blaise O’Carroll, defending, cross examined Det Garda Wogan and put it to him that if his client had “scarpered”, the gardaí would have faced a completely different situation?

“I can’t comment,” said Det Garda Wogan.

The garda went on to say that Ms Cummins had given them a lot of specific details about the crime and what Kenneth had done.

The trial continues.