‘He’s dead because he loved me’

A woman accused of murdering her colleague by driving him into a harbour, where he drowned, told gardaí he was dead because of his love for her.

Memos of Marta Herda’s garda interviews were read to the Central Criminal Court yesterday on the eighth day of her trial.

Ms Herda, aged 29, of Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Rd, Arklow, Co Wicklow, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Csaba Orsos, aged 31, on March 26, 2013,

at South Quay, Arklow.

They both worked at Brook Lodge Hotel in Aughrim and the trial heard that he was in love with her, but that she did not feel the same way.

Both had been in Ms Herda’s car when it went into the water that morning. Ms Herda escaped at the harbour but Mr Orsos’ body was found on a nearby beach later that day.

Detective Sergeant Fergus O’Brien testified yesterday that he arrested Ms Herda at her home on August 2, 2013. He and a colleague interviewed her at Wicklow Garda Station.

He said they asked her if she had known there were ladders on the harbour wall, but she said she did not remember how she got out of the water.

The statement of a man working at the harbour was put to her. He had described the speed of a car he heard as “pedal-to-the-floor stuff”.

“Yes, I was stressed and nervous,” said Ms Herda, when asked if the car was going fast.

“I didn’t want to drive there. It was an accident,” she said, explaining they had been arguing in the car.

“I couldn’t understand what he was saying and then, boom,” she said, denying that she had driven into the water deliberately.

She was asked if she would agree that she was driving recklessly. “No, I don’t think so,” she replied. “I wouldn’t hurt anyone. I could have killed myself. I didn’t want to die. I have a family.”

She added later that she wanted to have children.

Ms Herda said it would have been easier if the deceased was there to explain.

“I wish he was still here,” she said.

She said his attention was too much for her sometimes and she agreed that she was angry with him when she drove to the harbour that morning.

She agreed that she knew Mr Orsos could not swim.

She said she did not know why the driver’s window was open or why she was wearing light clothes when it was snowing.

Ms Herda agreed that she had heard it was impossible to open a door underwater.

“Would you agree that Csaba Orsos is dead because of your criminally dangerous act?” she was asked.

“He is dead because of his love for me,” she replied.

The trial continues on Monday.