Poeschel accused pleads not guilty

A 42-year-old man pleaded not guilty to the murder of a German tourist at the Central Criminal court this morning.

Michael Murphy, of Rathmullan Park, Drogheda, denies murdering 28-year-old Bettina Poeschel at Dunore, Co Meath, on an unknown date between 25 September and 17 October 2001.

Ms Poeschel was last seen alive on September 25, 2001, on her way to visit Newgrange, before she was reported missing. Originally from the southern German city of Munich, she was holidaying alone in Ireland at the time.

Her badly decomposed body was found lying face down, naked from the waist down in dense undergrowth at Donore, Co Meath, on October 24, 2001, after an extensive Garda search operation.

A jury of seven men and five women were sworn in this morning and expect to start hearing evidence before Mr Justice Andrias Ó Caoimh this afternoon.