Trial for murder of pensioner begins

An 83-year old pensioner, who was found dead and tied up at his home in Co Westmeath, was beaten to death and robbed of cash, the prosecution claimed today at the trial of the man accused of the pensioner's murder.

Noel Cawley (aged 47), of no fixed abode, but with a previous address in Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Christy Hanley (aged 83), at his home on Bridge St, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, on May 21, 2008.

He has also pleaded not guilty to robbing Mr Hanley of an unknown sum of money at the same address on the same date.

Opening the prosecution case at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, Alex Owens SC said that Mr Hanley was a bachelor and that he lived alone in "some disarray" in his house in Kilbeggan. He was a "well-known character at the races, where he bought and sold horses."

"He was occasionally observed with large amounts of cash."

Mr Owens said that Mr Hanley did not drink alcohol but nevertheless socialised in two pubs in Kilbeggan; the Black Kettle and the Saddler's Inn.

The jury heard that the evidence will be that the accused, Mr Cawley, arrived in Kilbeggan on the day of the alleged murder and robbery after having spent the night in Mullingar with his ex-girlfriend and her cousins.

Mr Owens said that a man who answers to the description of Mr Cawley went into both the Black Kettle and the Saddler's Inn and was present when Mr Hanley obtained €400 in cash for coins from the barman of one of those pubs.

He said that the prosecution's case is that Mr Hanley returned home sometime before 6pm and that, around that time, a man who the prosecution says is Mr Cawley was seen "lurking" about the area of Bridge St.

Mr Owens said that this man entered Mr Hanley's house and left approximately twenty minutes later, before flagging down a lift from people called the Slaters.

"He was in something of a panic."

The evidence will be that this man jumped out of the van some distance down the road, after having asked for a lift to Tullamore.

Mr Owens told the jurors they will hear that this man then got a lift from a man named Ian Dwyer, who observed what appeared to be blood on his passenger's trousers, and that the blood "was explained away by some sort of activity with an animal."

The jury will hear that the man who emerged from Mr Hanley's house had a large amount of cash. The prosecution case is that this man didn't have any of this cash earlier in the day.

"The prosecution case is that you can infer what happened in the house of Mr Hanley is that the assailant went in for the purposes of robbing Mr Hanley of cash. He got the cash and killed him, intended to kill him."

Mr Owens said the jury will hear that Mr Hanley was "beaten severely" during the twenty minutes between 6pm and 6.20pm. The evidence will be that there was bruising around his neck and shoulders and that, as a result of the beating, he inhaled a large amount of blood into his trachea, and died as a result of that injury.

The jury wwill also be told that a phonecall was made to Tullamore garda station on the morning after the alleged murder and that, around the time of that phonecall, a man who answers to the description of Mr Cawley was seen at a telephone box on Abbey St in Dublin.

Mr Owens said that the evidence will be that this man then went into Debenham's, got rid of his clothing and bought a new suit with cash.

He also said the jury will hear that Mr Hanley's assailant was wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap and that the man who was at the telephone box on Abbey St the following day was wearing the same baseball cap.

Sgt Derek Lennon told Mr Owens SC that he had known Mr Hanley for 22 years. He said that Mr Hanley used to live with his sisters in the house on Bridge St, but that one of them was killed in a car crash on the road outside the house.

Sgt Lennon said that he was contacted on the morning after the alleged murder and went to Mr Hanley's home. There was no evidence of a break-in or of damage to the front or back doors.

He told the court that he broke open the front door. The house would normally be "in disarray," he said.

When he got into the sitting-room he saw that Mr Hanley was lying across the floor. His hands were tied behind his back. His legs were also tied. A coat was draped over his body, covering his head. His trousers were down around his feet. Sgt Lennon said that there was a blood stain above the underpants but he didn't know where it had come from.

James O'Herrin told Mr Owens that the accused and his ex-girlfriend, Corrina West, stayed for the night in his house in Mullingar on the night before the alleged murder.

He said that Mr Cawley had driven a white car and that he sold this car to the Braker's Yard in Mullingar for €100.

Mr O'Herrin said that Ms West asked for a lift to her house in Athlone the following morning. On the way, Mr Cawley was dropped off at the square in Kilbeggan.

"He [Mr Cawley] didn't say where he was going. He just said he was going to buy a car or a van."

Mr O'Herrin said that Mr Cawley was wearing a blue baseball cap and a blue denim jacket.

Mr O'Herrin's wife, Bridget, told the court that Mr Cawley said he was going to take the bus from Kilbeggan to Tullamore.

She also said that he did not produce or show her any cash while in her company.

The trial continues.