Wife of man accused of murder 'fell to her knees' when he confessed, court told

The Central Criminal Court has heard that the wife of a Wicklow man accused of murder dropped to her knees when he confessed to Gardaí.

Roy Webster, a cabinet maker from Ashbree in Ashford, beat Anne Shortall to death with a hammer but claims she was threatening him.

Anne Shortall had been missing for four days when Gardaí called to Roy Webster’s home on April 7 2015.

His wife had their newborn baby in her arms when she asked her husband if he’d hurt her. “Yes” was his reply.

“Did you hit her Roy?” she asked, “I did” he said.

She continued to question him in front of Gardaí. He told her he hit her with a hammer and left her in the workshop next to their home.

At this point, Detective Sergeant Fergus O’Brien said she gasped and fell to her knees with her child still in her arms.

He said Roy was sobbing heavily and told them he was “genuinely sorry”.

He later led the Gardaí to the workshop where Anne’s body was hidden behind some wood panels.

Her hands were bound with silver duct tape.

He claims she wanted €6,500 for an abortion and was threatening to reveal that they had slept together the previous Christmas.