Accused's co-workers testify in court today

A Louth labourer accused of the murder of German journalist Bettina Poeschel did not have his 10am break with his co-workers on the day of her disappearance, three Latvian men told the Central Criminal Court today.

When asked whether the accused took his 10am break in the site portacabin, Mr Rinalds Baumanis replied through an interpreter: "no, as far as I can recollect, no".

"He had to go in the city, around ten o'clock, he had to see the doctor. As far as I understood at ten o'clock he went to see the doctor" he said.

Latvians, Mr Rinalds Baumanis, Mr Audrey Krastinsh and Mr Aldis Greizis, all gave evidence in court as to their whereabouts on the day of Ms Poeschel's disappearance on September 25, 2001at the murder trial of Mr Michael Murphy, (aged 42), from Drogheda, Co Louth. He denies murdering the 28-year-old woman on a date between September 25 and October 17, 2001, at Donore, Co Meath.

The three men had an arrangement with their employers whereby the accused would pick them up in the morning and bring them to work on the Dublin-Dundalk motorway construction site and bring them home again in the evening.

Mr Baumanis said that Michael Murphy spent "most of the time outside".

"He didn't spend much time in there, probably one minute or so," he added.

Mr Krastinsh then told the jury that he didn't think Mr Murphy was on the site all the time: "I don't think so because we went out smoking and his car wasn't there." He too understood that Mr Murphy "had to go to the doctor" that morning.

The third Latvian, Mr Greizis, told the jury that Mr Murphy didn't join him or his colleagues for a break at any time: "He only came into the portacabin a couple of times but most of the time he was not there" he said.

When asked by Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, if he knew for sure whether Mr Murphy attended the doctor that day, Mr Greizis replied "I know that he left". All three testified that the accused drove them home from work that evening.

Earlier Drogheda GP, Dr Michael O'Brien, testified that Mr Murphy attended his surgery on the September 26, 2001 for a back complaint. "He complained about a pain in his back" he told the jury.

"He said he got it at work while bending down to tie his shoe laces" he added.

The father of the accused, Mr Larry Murphy, was in court today and testified that his son came to his home and asked him could he move back, "around September 21" 2001.

"He just said to me that he was living with his girlfriend and anything he does doesn't seem to satisfy her" Mr Murphy said.

"He told me that he hurt his back with the job and he was going to see the doctor. I think he said he hurt it when he came out from the toilet," he said. "I knew he was working on the road. He said he'd go to the doctor and that's the last I heard of it," he added.

Meanwhile, forensic tests results on the black panties found on Ms Poeschels' body revealed that there was "strong support that the smell coming from the panties was Jeyes Fluid". Forensic scientist Mr John McCullough told the court that he tested the clothing and confirmed the smell was "consistent with Jeyes Fluid".

The trial has adjourned for legal argument until Thursday.