Footprints 'don't match', court told

An impression of a footprint found on the trousers of a woman who was raped and murdered in a Co Cork park in 2000 did not match any of the footwear recovered from the home of the man on trial for the attack.

At the Central Criminal Court today Mr Liam Fleury, a forensic scientist at the Department of Justice was giving evidence that he carried out tests on the portion of the right knee of a pair of dark blue trousers taken from Ms Rachel Kiely (aged 22).

Ms Kiely was strangled and raped and her body was discovered in heavy undergrowth at the Regional Park, Ballincollig, Co Cork on October 26, 2000.

An 18-year-old Cork man - who cannot be named for legal reasons - denies her murder and rape at the Regional Park on the same date.

Mr Fleury told Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC for the prosecution that he was given a pair of black leather shoes, two pairs of 'Reebok' runners and a pair of black runners belonging to the accused which gardai recovered from his home.

"I chemically-enhanced an impression, similar to a footwear impression from the outer right knee and compared it to the footwear recovered from (the accused's home)," he said.

"I concluded that the impression was not made by the soles on the footwear submitted to me".

The court also heard evidence from Sgt Cornelius Hunter that the accused was taken to Gurranabraher Garda Station on November 10, 2000 accompanied by both of his parents.

Sgt Gunter told the court that following an extended period of detention during which he was interviewed by senior gardai, he was released from custody and re-arrested in the presence of his parents.

The trial continues tomorrow.