Accused gives evidence at murder trial

An 18-year-old Corkman accused of raping and murdering a 22-year-old woman in a park in Ballincollig in October 2000 has told a jury he knew her only to salute and did not meet her on the night she died.

The 18-year-old accused cannot be named for legal reasons.

He denies the rape and murder of Ms Rachel Kiely, aged 22, at the Regional Park, Ballincollig, Co Cork on October 26, 2000.

The jury has heard that DNA samples taken from him matched DNA recovered from her person.

She was raped and strangled as she brought two family dogs for a walk on the evening of October 26 2000.

The accused man is in the witness stand today giving evidence in his own defence to lawyer Blaise O’Carroll SC.

He said he knew Rachel Kiely "to salute her". "If she passed, I’d known who she was like, to acknowledge her", he said.

He told the trial he was "messing around" on his motorbike in the Regional Park, Ballincollig on the night of the killing.

He left a Coke bottle found with his fingermark on it in the park the previous Saturday night, he said.

His evidence continues before a jury and Mr Justice Butler.