Murder victim feared husband, son tells court

The son of a woman whose husband is on trial for her murder, has told a trial in the Central Criminal Court that his mother was afraid of his father.

Clinton Mulder, the son of Colleen and Anton Mulder, told defence counsel Mr Roderick O'Hanlon SC, in cross examination, that his mother had never hit his father. "She was scared of him."

Christopher Mulder, another son, told Mr O'Hanlon he had never seen his father hit his mother "not personally, with my own eyes," but said he would often lash out at things during arguments.

"He destroyed the whole house."

He said that he had only seen his mother hit his father on one occasion "when he had her in the corner of the kitchen".

Afrikaner, Mr Anton Mulder (aged 46), of Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath but originally from Durban in South Africa, denies murdering his Irish-born wife Colleen Suzanne Mulder on the morning of December 17, 2004. The 41-year-old mother of six was strangled in her bed.

Clinton Mulder told Mr Gerry Clarke SC that his parents' marriage had been in difficulties for several months before his mother's death. He said there were a lot of arguments about the custody of the younger children. Colleen Mulder had moved back to live with her mother in Bangor in November 2004.

He agreed that his father's personality had changed when he returned from working in the Isle of Man. "He was just really nice, which wasn't him."

Clinton said that before he had gone away he had never been allowed to bring friends back to the family home.

"Before he wouldn't let my friends in. It would have been about half an hour and he would have them all thrown out. When I came back he was telephoning me to tell me to bring my friends home with beer and we could play pool all night."

Christopher Mulder also said his father became more friendly in the months before his mother's death.

"He was sucking up to them to try and get their attention."

Ms Petronella Ludick, a friend of Mrs Mulder, said in a statement read to the court that Colleen had told her that her husband "never supported her with the kids or brought her out".

Ms Ludick said she saw an argument between Mr Mulder and his son when Clinton arrived at the house with several friends.

"He shouted at Clinton that it was his house and he didn't want his friends there. He was screaming and shouting. There was a big shouting match then Clinton left."

The trial will continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins and the jury of ten men and two women.