Man admitted teenage girl died in his bedroom, inquest told

A Brazilian man today told an inquest his friend had admitted a 14-year-old girl died in the bedroom of his home after her body was discovered in the back garden of a vacant house almost a week later.

In a startling statement, Alceu Tofanell Junior said after he discovered the body of Jamie Farrelly Maughan, 14, in the backyard of a house on July 2, 2004 - her boyfriend Weldo Freitas Cavalcante admitted she had died in his bedroom almost a week earlier.

Mr Tofanell told Cavan County Coroners Court that Mr Cavalcante, who has since left the country with the aid of the Brazilian Embassy, had appeared worried and nervous after her mother reported her missing from the night of Saturday, June 26, 2004.

He said: “He (Mr Cavalcante) wanted to leave Ireland.”

The Brazilian national, who was speaking through an interpreter, said Mr Cavalcante had told him to tell anyone who asked that Jamie had left his house at 2.30am on Saturday, June 26.

Her distraught mother, Josephine Farrelly, said on the body of her daughter being dumped in the garden: “I think he (Mr Tofanell) carried Jamie across with Weldo and I always did.”

As she walked by Mr Tofanell in court, she said: “Tell the truth.”