Witness in murder trial denies her Garda statement

A witness in a murder trial today denied parts of her Garda statement which she made after the murder of a civil servant in 1998.

In the Central Criminal Court, Tanya Maher accepted she made a statement on January 19 1999, one month after Brian Fitzgerald was beaten to death in Finglas, in Dublin, but denied portions of it.

Michael Geoghegan and Richard Bourke, who were aged 15 at the time of the killing, have denied the charge.

Reading from her statement, prosecuting counsel Tom O'Connell put it to Ms Maher that she had told gardaí she and her former boyfriend met the two accused on the night of the killing. That's correct, she agreed.

"They walked up to Chris (her former boyfriend) and said 'you missed it'…the fight." the statement read.

According to the statement, when he enquired what had happened "Richie said 'I hit him a solid into the head..we just left him lying there'."

Asked if that was true, Ms Maher said "No", adding that the gardaí had confused her and she was referring to a different incident.

Counsel put it to the witness that she had also stated that "Richie was bragging and hyper about it".

She denied having said this also.

"So, there are parts of that statement you say you never said to the gardaí at all?" counsel enquired.

"I was in the station on me own" Ms Maher replied.

When counsel pointed out that the statement was made in the presence of her mother Elizabeth, she replied that her mother came later as she was working.

"I was took out on me own", the witness added.

The jury was then asked to leave the courtroom for legal argument.

Michael Geoghegan, aged 20, of Northway Estate, Finglas and Richard Bourke, aged 20, of Sycamore Park, Finglas East each pleaded not guilty to the murder of Brian Fitzpatrick of Clune Road, Finglas on December 1, 1998 at Clune Road.

The trial before Justice Liam McKechnie continues tomorrow.