Prosecution claim 'jigsaw' will prove guilt

A series of "jigsaw pieces" will prove beyond reasonable doubt that an 18-year-old man accused of the rape and murder of a young woman in Cork is guilty, a prosecuting lawyer told a jury at the Central Criminal Court today.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murdering 22 year-old Rachel Kiely at Regional Park, Ballincollig, Co Cork on October 26 2000.

He has also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of rape on the same occasion.

Opening the trial, Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC for the prosecution told the court that Ms Kiely went missing following a short walk in Regional Park, a short distance from her home at Inishmore Square, Ballincollig.

"As she did very frequently she went speedwalking with the two family dogs in the park," Mr McCarthy told the court.

The deceased, who was described as a "quiet, pleasant girl" left her house at 4.45pm, but her mother became concerned when the two dogs returned alone to the family house half an hour later.

"Her mother thought this was very exceptional and strange," counsel said and shortly afterwards both her mother and sister went to look for her.

"They called out her name on a number of occasions, but this initial search drew a blank," he said.

The victim's mother and sister passed a ruined premise in the park and noticed the accused man nearby.

Following a larger search of the park by friends of the Kiely family from the Jehovah's Witness community and two gardai, the young woman's body was discovered in the ruined building at around 8pm.

"It will prove a significant element of the evidence that places the accused in or about 6.15pm or 6.20pm in the vicinity of the ruin where the body of the deceased was found," Mr McCarthy said.

The young woman had been strangled and raped and her clothing was dishevelled. "There was an attempt at concealing the body, and it is of significance that the victim's body was somewhat warm," Mr McCarthy said.

A number of people in the park spotted the accused at various times in the park on the evening of the killing, counsel said.

He arrived with friends after 5pm on a motorcycle, and was "engaged in a number of activities, doing wheelies" on his bike before leaving the park by foot alongside his friends.

"He met up with his friends again later that evening at 6.30pm and his movements are effectively accounted for until the body was found," Mr McCarthy said. The prosecution allege that it was "in or about the hour" from 5.30pm to 6.30pm that the young woman was raped and murdered.

"There are a series of pieces of a jigsaw that the prosecution invites you to put together to get the complete picture and that picture is one of rape and murder," Mr Mc Carthy said.

"On that basis the prosecution invite you to conclude that the accused is the man who murdered this lady," Mr McCarthy said.