Witness heard male voice in Macroom man's bedroom saying f***, f***, f***, murder trial hears

Woman who had stayed the night in Michael Foley's house on January 31, 2024, said at 7.30am on February 1 the deceased 'looked normal, he did not have blood on his face or his head'

Michael Foley was found dead in his home in Macroom between January 31 and February 1, 2024.

The Macroom murder trial jury was told on Wednesday of a witness who saw the late Michael Foley at his home at 7.30am on February 1, 2024, and he had no blood on him and she heard in the background a voice and a lot of “f***, f***, f***”.

She returned about five hours later, opened the door but did not go into the house more than one step because she heard the voice of Michael Foley saying to get out, without even knowing who was there. The witness described him as sounding very drunk and as if something was in his throat.

61-year-old Michael Foley was found dead on February 6, 2024, lying in a pool of blood at his home on Annville, Barrett’s Place, Macroom. 

Jane Hyland, prosecution senior counsel, said their case was that he was murdered on February 1, 2024. 

32-year-old Daniel Hourigan, who is originally from Farranree in Cork City, pleaded not guilty to his murder.

Detective Garda Brian Ahern gave evidence of the statements made by the witness, who stayed at Michael Foley’s home occasionally, and who was not present in court. 

43-year-old Neringa Stalioniene met Michael Foley in November 2022 when she was homeless and using Simon facilities in Cork. He said she could use the smaller bedroom at his home in Macroom and she did so, staying there for weeks or months at a time. 

She said when he started drinking he would sometimes tell her to get out. She described a platonic relationship between them, adding he was her father’s age.

Ms Stalioniene said in her statements to gardaí that she slept there on the night of January 31/ the morning of February 1, 2024, and did not hear anything unusual.

“At 7.35am on February 1, 2024, I met Michael in the corridor of the house. He looked normal, he did not have blood on his face or his head. He told me to get out. I hear voices from Michael Foley’s bedroom… I heard a voice, I think a man’s voice, there may have been more. A lot of f***, f***, f***,” Ms Stalioniene said.

She returned about five hours later at 12.32pm. “I opened the door, It was not locked. I thought he would be sleeping or still drinking. The first sound I heard when I entered was he shouted to get out of my house. 

"He sounded very very drunk. It sounded like something in his throat. I didn’t see him. I did not go further than one step into the house because he is landlord and I didn’t want any confrontation with him. 

"I didn’t hear anyone in the house this time. I think the TV was on in the background. I closed the door and left the house.” 

The jury was told while the evidence of this witness was being read from her statements to the gardaí, the jury could take them as being the same as if she had given the evidence in the witness box.

Detective Garda Brian Morris, who described the harvesting and analysis of CCTV from multiple cameras at commercial and other premises around Macroom, in particular on January 31 and February 1, 2024, gave further evidence on Wednesday. He said approximately 5,000 hours of CCTV was downloaded from cameras around Macroom.

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland explained what was meant by the response to the murder charge made by the accused when he said: “Not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting an offender under Section 7 Subsection 2 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.” 

She said in non-legal language, “what that means is that he is saying to you that he helped another person when they committed an offence to prevent them being caught”, but that he is not guilty of murder.

The trial continues.