Witnesses identify double murder accused

Two former flatmates of a young couple who were allegedly strangled and then had their bodies burned have identified a man accused of the double murder as the person shown on CCTV footage of the entrance to the apartment.

The witnesses alleged that the suspect depicted on the video footage is 25-year-old Yu Jie, a friend of the dead couple.

Mr Yu Jie, with a last address at McKee Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Liu Qing (aged 19) in the apartment at Blackhall Square, off North King St., Dublin 7, between 6pm on March 12 2001 and 3am on March 14 2001.

Mr Yu also denies the murder of Ms Liu's boyfriend, Mr Yue Feng (aged 19) between 1pm on March 12 and 3am on March 14 in the same place.

In evidence on the 31st day of the trial, Mr Liu Yu and Ms Zhou Nan, who lived in the apartment with the deceased couple but who were on a visit to China at the time of their friend's death, said that they both knew Yu Jie and that he was the man depicted in the video footage.

The prosecution has called evidence to support its allegation that the times at which the alarm system in the apartment was activated between March 12 and March 14 coincided with times on the CCTV footage showing the suspect coming and going from the main entrance to the apartment block.

Ms Zhou Nan told prosecution counsel Mr Vincent Heneghan BL that while they were in China in February 2001, she and Mr Liu met the deceased couple who were about to return to Ireland following a separate visit home to China.

She said she gave her ATM number to Yue Feng so that he could withdraw money from her account to pay the rent when he got back to Dublin.

Ms Zhou's bank statements showed that on March 2, 2001, there was a withdrawal of £200 from her account through an ATM.

The statements also showed three separate withdrawals made at an ATM on March 12, the day the prosecution alleges that Yue Feng and Liu Qing were murdered.

The withdrawals were of £120, £20 and £10 respectively. Ms Zhou told the trial that she did not give anyone permission to make those three withdrawals.

The trial continues before a jury and Mr Justice Abbott.