Murder accused admits she jumped on man's head, denies murder

A woman on trial for murder agreed with gardaí that she joined a number of people in battering a man for two hours, because he had tried to kiss her.

Louise Wall (aged 21), told gardaí that she kicked Darren McKeown in the head, jumped on his head and hit him twice with a glass ashtray because she had been drinking spirits, and because he had tried to kiss her and had also hit another woman.

Wall, of Cranmore Clogherhead, has pleaded not guilty to the 29-year-old's murder in Drogheda in December 2007. Nineteen-year-old Michael Cruise, of Donore Avenue, Ballsgrove, Drogheda is also on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder, and has denied the charge.

The two also deny a second charge of violent disorder at the Rowan Heights estate on dates between Christmas and Stephens Day 2007.

The prosecution argues that the case is one of alleged joint enterprise or common design and that Mr McKeown died in hospital on December 29 because of head injuries he received at the Christmas party.

In his evidence, Sergeant Fergus O'Toole said that seven people, including Cruise and Wall, admitted to assaulting Mr McKeown on Christmas night and the early hours of Stephens Day.

Three men were charged with violent disorder. A fourth man, Jason McGlone, was also charged with murder, and was due to go on trial along with Cruise and Wall, but the court was told he died “tragically” days before the trial began. The seventh person was never charged.

Sergeant O'Toole said Wall told gardaí that Mr McKoewn tried to kiss her as she lay on a sofa at a house party on Christmas Eve, and she pushed him away.

The same night, Wall slapped him in the face repeatedly for around an hour, while another woman punched him. She said Mr McKeown did not retaliate.

On Christmas Day, Wall ate dinner with Mr McKeown and a number of other people. She said they were drinking and "having a laugh". After dinner, Wall saw Mr McKeown rowing with a woman who had been in a relationship with his brother, and Mr McKeown hitting her.

Wall told him to "f**k off”. After that she said he threw a glass at her, and she picked up a glass ashtray and used it to hit him twice in the head.

She said she didn't want to kill him, but she did intend to hurt him.

After that she said the 15-year-old son of the woman Mr McKeown had hit was planning along with a number of his friends to give him a beating.

They all went out onto a green area, where they kicked and punched Mr McKeown. Wall admitted to kicking him in the head, and jumping or “stamping” on his head and chest. The assault continued in the driveway of a house, before an ambulance was called.

She agreed with gardaí that the attack lasted for about two hours.

Mr McKeown was rushed to hospital but never regained consciousness and died three days later.

Sergeant O'Toole asked if she had been in a rage and had been angry because Mr McKeown had kissed her. Wall said it was a combination of that, the spirits she was drinking and the fact that he had hit the woman.

She said she regretted what she had done.

In his interviews with gardaí, Michael Cruise admitted to giving Mr McKeown two to three “good kicks” in the head, and to hitting him once. He said he did it because the son of the woman Mr McKeown had hit was “annoying him to”.

Cruise said he didn't take part in the assault in the driveway, but he was present and heard the others saying they were going to “dance all over” Mr McKeown's face and ribs.

The trial resumes in the morning.