Court hears phone messages sent to O'Reilly and Pelley

Voice messages left on Rachel O'Reilly's mobile phone on the day she was brutally murdered were read out in court today.

Joe O'Reilly (aged 35) of Lambay View, Baldarragh, Naul, Co Dublin has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife and mother of their two children, Rachel O'Reilly (aged 30), at the family home on October 4, 2004.

Gda Brian McDonagh told prosecuting counsel Mr Dominic Mc Ginn BL that he transcribed the messages that were on Rachel’s phone.

Mr McGinn then read the messages out in court.

The first message is from Mr O'Reilly at 11.52am on Monday, October 4, saying:

“Hiya Rach, it's just 12 o'clock. Ringing to see where you are. Obviously you're just in Jackie's chewing the fat and not listening to messages from me. Give us a shout. Let me know how your morning's been, all the usual sort of stuff. Don't forget to wish Jackie a happy birthday. Ok, goodbye.”

Montessori schoolteacher, Helen, then called her and left a message at 12.50pm.

She said to Rachel: “Helen here, just gone 5 to 1. Just to see if you're on your way and is everything ok? I'll talk to you soon, bye.”

Another message from Mr O'Reilly at 1.18pm says: “Hiya Rach, it's only I just got a call from Helen in Montessori. She says you haven't picked up Adam. Was Sarah meant to pick him up or something? Give us a shout.

“I'm going to try the home number. You've no doubt left your phone at home or in the back of the car or something....Helen has to go and pick up her kids so she can't stay there. So if you get back and she's not there, don't panic. I will try the home number, thanks.”

A third message from Mr O'Reilly at 1.24pm says: “Rach, this is Joe. I tried your number now I don't know how many times. You're not in Jackie's and not in your mother's. I'm now really, really, really worried about you. Please call me, please call. This is not funny. This is not like you...”

Rachel's mother, Mrs Rose Callaly left a message on her phone at 1.33pm, saying: “Rachel, it's Mam. It's 1.40. Will you ring me back as soon as possible, please? See you.”

A fourth message from Mr O'Reilly at 1.45pm reads: “Rach, it's me again. I'm just on the M50. I've spoken to your mother. She's going to pop on out. Please ring. I've been crying. You have me worried. I don't know, talk to me please.”

A message from another person at 3.14pm says: “Hiya Rach, ring Ian back when you have a moment."

A month after the murder, Mr O'Reilly left another message on her phone, most of which was already heard in court.

The message was left on November 4, at 8.24am reads: “Hiya Rach, it's Joe. I'm really sorry for the very, very early phone call. This time a month ago on the forth of October you were probably doing what I'm doing now, getting the boys ready for school.

“It was a sunny morning but now you are cold. I just want to go back in time and say I love and miss you but I can't. I don't want to live without you. Sleep well and rest in peace. I have to get the boys into the car now. First I have to get them dressed for school. Goodbye sweetheart. I miss you. I love you. Chat to you later. Bye...”

Sgt Gubbins also told the court about another text which had also already been read out in court. It was a text to Rachel from Joe at 10:07 on the morning of the murder. It read: “You and the boys sleep ok? Wish Jackie a happy birthday for me please. Xxx.”

Text messages from Mr O'Reilly found on Nikki Pelley's phone were also read out into court.

Sgt Michael Gubbins told prosecuting counsel Mr Dominic McGinn that when he examined the contents of a phone belonging to Ms Nikki Pelley, he came across a number of text messages from Mr O'Reilly dating back to July 16, 2004.

The first text message, sent at 10.02pm on the July 16, 2004 reads: “Hey, I will only be your husband. I know my place.”

The following day, another text message at 8:29am says: “....I can't wait to see you.”

On July 27 at 11:53pm a third text says: “sweet dreams to you too love, I can't even begins to tell you how much I miss and love you. You're everything to me. Xxx”

A text from Joe on August 31 at 12:37pm talks about his son's first day in school. It reads: “Just texting you....our boy has had his first school day. Had fun but will have homework tomorrow. Love you.”

Another text from September 5 at 10:33pm says: “Ditto my beautiful bride-to-be. Xxx.”

On September 30, a text at 10:09pm from Mr O'Reilly reads: “all your willies tucked up in bed with the lights off. Sweet dreams. Xxx.”

A final text from October 1, 2004 reads: “....All the boys down on the beach. Only thing missing is you. Xxx.”

Det Gda Niall O'Donnell told prosecuting counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley that two days after the killing, he was on duty in Navan Garda Station when two men were arrested after having spotted in a stolen red maroon Volkswagen estate car.

He said the car had been stolen in the North by two Co Louth men and that because a similar car had been spotted in the Naul on the day of the murder, they were questioned in relation to it so that they could be ruled out.

Gardaí also took hair samples from the men to help them eliminate the men from their enquiry.

Det Gda O'Donnell said both men were subsequently ruled out of their investigation.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Ms Anne Rowland BL, Det Gda O'Donnell said that by the time they arrested the men, it had been two weeks since the car had been fitted with false number plates.

Asked whether there had been a third man involved with the theft of the car, he said there was.

He agreed with Ms Rowland that there had been two sightings of a red maroon estate car in the vicinity of the O'Reilly home on the morning of the murder.

However, asked was he aware that one of the men who had reported the sighting told gardaí “he'd seen a red car in the driveway of the O'Reilly home?” he replied: “I'm not aware of that.”

Asked whether he was aware a red car had been seen around the Murphy's Quarry area “in or about” midday, he said: “Yes.”