Jury hears closing speeches in murder trial

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been listening to closing speeches from both the prosecution and the defence at the trial of a man accused of murder and a woman accused of burning the deceased man’s clothes.

Kevin Keohane (aged 34), 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 burning the deceased man’s clothes.

She also pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault causing him serious harm.

It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Keohane stabbed Mr Tuleiko, a Latvian mechanic, during a drunken row before he and Ms Moverley burned the deceased man’s clothes and fled to England.

During the trial, evidence was heard that both co-accused had been living in a tent at Parnell Park, Thurles for two weeks before the alleged incident.

The jury heard that, during Garda interviews, Mr Keohane said that he had been drinking outside the tent with Ms Moverley and Mr Tuleiko.

He told gardaí that a row broke out between him and Mr Tuleiko and that he stabbed him in the neck “to finish him off.”

State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy told the court that Mr Tuleiko was found with multiple stab and slash wounds, mostly to the neck and face.

She said that he died of a stab wound to the neck, which punctured both jugular veins.

Mr Keohane gave evidence that he stabbed Mr Tuleiko because he was trying to protect Ms Moverley. He said that Mr Tuleiko had cut Ms Moverley’s wrist with a knife.

Today, Patrick Marrinan SC, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Keohane made an “admission of murder” during Garda interviews.

“It is as simple and straightforward as that,” he said.

“Had he not said that I would still be submitting to you that this is a clear case of murder.

“The reason is, Renars Tuleiko suffered over 50 wounds to his body.

Mr Marrinan also said to the jury that, “Self-defence can be a defence... if the force that you use is no more than necessary to repel the attack, to ward off the attacker.

“But you have to use reasonable force. If you exceed that it is no longer a defence.

“This is as clear a case you will get of murder,” he said.

He added that Ms Moverley “effectively admitted” to her charges during Garda interviews.

Peter Finlay SC, defending Mr Keohane, told the jury that it is important for them to consider their verdicts in the context of Mr Keohane’s life.

“All that you see is despair, utter despair,” he said.

He described Mr Keohane as a man “who can’t function properly in an ordinary, everyday sense”.

“When it comes to the question of violence, you have to ask yourself was it reasonable in the circumstances he found himself in? You also have to look at whether Mr Keohane found it reasonable in the circumstances.”

John O’Kelly SC, defending Ms Moverley, told the jury that there was “never any intention here for anyone to do any harm to anyone”.

“What happened here was confusing, drunken and ultimately violent situation.

“The prosecution has to satisfy you beyond reasonable doubt that the reason she [Ms Moverley] threw things on the fire was specifically to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Mr Keohane.

“This is a very unrealistic scenario. It is requiring you not to just act on the evidence. It is requiring you to... speculate about what was in the woman’s mind.”

Mr Justice Barry White will finish his charge to the jury tomorrow before they retire to consider their verdicts.