Murder accused was 'in fear of his life', court hears

A man accused of murder told gardaí during interviews that he stabbed a Latvian man because he was “in fear of his life”, the Central Criminal Court heard today.

Kevin Keohane (aged 33), of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty the murder of Renars Tuleiko (aged 32) at Parnell Park, Thurles, Co Tipperary on a date unknown between April 13 and 15, 2007.

Victoria Moverley (aged 32), also of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to assisting in the concealing of the body of the deceased and the burning of his clothes on a date unknown between April 13 and 15, 2007 at Parnell Park, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

She also pleaded not guilty to the further charge of assaulting Mr Tuleiko, causing him serious harm.

Det. Sgt James White told prosecuting counsel Patrick Marrinan SC of interviews conducted with both accused.

He said that he interviewed Mr Keohane at a police station in Bristol, England on May 24 last year and that Mr Keohane told him he had returned to Ireland from England in April last year to meet with Ms Moverley “to discuss their two children.”

Mr Keohane told Det. Sgt White that, on April 13 last year, he and Ms Moverley had been living in a tent in Parnell Park, Thurles for two weeks.

He said that they went to Abrakebabra that evening to get some food and that, while waiting, he went outside for a cigarette and met a friend, Mario, who he invited back to the tent.

Mr Keohane told Det. Sgt White that when they returned to the tent, the deceased, Mr Tuleiko “popped out of the tent and said that he had been there for half an hour.”

He said that they had known him previously.

Mr Keohane had said: “Mario said he was going to go home. Renars asked if he could stay and I told him he could.”

Mr Keohane told Det. Sgt White that he and Ms Moverley went to bed and that Mr Tuleiko remained drinking outside the tent.

He said that he woke up later and heard Ms Moverley “screaming outside the tent.”

Mr Keohane had said: “Renars was fighting her. Vicky said that he was trying to rob us. He had a knife. I ran to her defence.

“I got the knife off him and I stabbed him, I don’t know where. He wasn’t hurt. He had the knife one minute, then I did, then Vicky did."

Mr Keohane told Det. Sgt White that he and Ms Moverley then “ran away and hid in the trees” and that, when they then went back toward the tent, they found Mr Tuleiko.

“I went to see if he was breathing. He was dead.

“We panicked... We pulled him by his legs into a corner [of the field]. His trousers came off. I threw them into the fire. We covered him over with grass.”

Mr Keohane told the gardaí that they took a train to Dublin and then a ferry to Fishguard in Wales.

He told Det. Sgt White that he did not know how many times he stabbed Mr Tuleiko.

He said: “I’d like to say it was self-defence. I was in fear of my life. Vicky was in fear of hers.”

Det. Sgt White told the jury that he interviewed Ms Moverley on November 27 last year in Thurles garda station.

He told the jury that Ms Moverley said that she went to sleep in the tent while Mr Keohane and Mr Tuleiko were still drinking by the fire.

Ms Moverley had said: “I don’t know how long I was asleep when I woke. Kevin and Renars were sitting on a plank, facing the fire.

“They were throwing a knife to see who had the best aim. They were firing it at a piece of wood.

“We all took turns. Kevin got a bit riled up because he had bought the knife that day.”

Det. Sgt White told the jury that, when asked, Ms Moverley said that “riled up” meant: “his usual angry self.”

Ms Moverley told Det. Sgt White that Mr Keohane “told Renars to stop throwing it the way he was.”

“Renars started to get riled as well. I told them both to cop on.

“Kevin and Renars started to fight each other. Both were bleeding from the nose.

“Renars was getting the better of Kevin. He had him in a headlock. Kevin had the knife in his hand. There was blood everywhere.

“I again shouted to stop. I ended up with the knife. It had dropped to the ground. I picked it up.

“Renars was on top of Kevin. I just kept saying 'stop'.

“I stabbed Renars in the back, it just happened,” she told Det. Sgt White.

“Kevin pushed Renars off. He said he was dying. I started freaking out.”

Ms Moverley told Det. Sgt White that Mr Keohane then “went to move Renars but couldn’t do it on his own.”

The jury also heard that, when asked how she felt, Ms Moverley told Det. Sgt White that she was “absolutely devasted... sorry for your man, lost my kids now proper, never get them back, it’s nasty.”

The trial continues.