Courts

Michael Scott motivated only by ‘land and cattle’, witness tells murder trial

Accused asked Garda sergeant to ‘have a word’ with Chrissie Treacy weeks before her death, court hears

Michael Scott was described by one witness as a hard worker. Photograph: Collins Courts

Eoin Reynolds
Thu Feb 23 2023 - 17:55

Michael Scott, who denies murdering his aunt Chrissie Treacy by running over her in an agricultural teleporter, had an “almost childlike” obsession with land and was motivated only by land and cattle, a witness has told the Central Criminal Court.

The court also heard on Thursday that when Mr Scott told Robin Deasy that he “can’t handle that woman at all”, referring to his 76-year-old aunt. Mr Deasy told him not to touch Ms Treacy and to leave her company if he felt he was “getting hot”.

Sgt Gerard Cleary told the trial that about six weeks before Ms Treacy died, the accused came to Portumna Garda station and became upset while telling him that he would have to “give up the cows” because Ms Treacy was being unreasonable.

The sergeant said: “He asked me to have a word with her. I advised him that I wouldn’t be having a word with Chrissie on his behalf and I advised him to go to Derryhiney and show a bit of kindness to Chrissie and if he was good to her, it would work out okay for him.”

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Michael Scott (58) of Gortanumera, Portumna, Co Galway has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Treacy outside her home in Derryhiney, Portumna, Co Galway on April 27th, 2018. The prosecution alleges that Mr Scott deliberately ran over his aunt following a long-running dispute over land. Mr Scott’s lawyers have said Ms Treacy’s death was a tragic accident.

Mr Deasy told prosecution counsel Dean Kelly SC that he has known Mr Scott a long time, likes him “a lot” and considers him a “very good farmer, a hard worker and admirable for that”.

After the death in 2011 of Chrissie’s last remaining brother, Willie Treacy, Mr Scott came to Mr Deasy to ask about buying Ms Treacy out of the land at Derryhiney which was jointly owned by Mr Scott and his aunt.

Mr Deasy suggested to him that he enter a trust arrangement whereby Mr Scott would take care of his aunt in her old age in return for the land. He said that he had entered a similar arrangement with his uncle and it was successful. “Mr Scott wasn’t keen,” he said, “didn’t grasp the benefit of the idea,” and told him: “You forget I’m nearly 50.”

“I told him looking after someone, a relative, is very rewarding. I couldn’t get it across to him. He was fixated on land,” the witness said.

Mr Deasy agreed that Mr Scott had an “almost childlike” obsession with land and added: “As I saw it, it was the one thing that motivated Mike all his life was land and cattle.”

Shortly after Christmas 2017 Mr Scott asked Mr Deasy if he could speak to him about “that woman”, referring to Ms Treacy. Mr Scott told him that he “can’t handle that woman at all” and Mr Deasy told him: “Whatever you do, don’t touch her.” He said he had told Mr Scott that before and advised him that if he was “getting hot” to tell her he was leaving and would be back in the morning once he was feeling calmer. “I told him to whack the wheel of a tractor if he needed to let off steam,” he said.

Sgt Gerard Cleary told Mr Kelly that he first met Ms Treacy on February 22nd, 2017 after Ms Treacy’s friend and neighbour Regina Donohue came to him with concerns for Ms Treacy’s welfare.

On February 13, 2018 Sgt Cleary learned that Ms Treacy’s dog Bradley had gone missing. She was “in bits”, when the sergeant called the following day and became more upset as the conversation continued. Sgt Cleary said he discussed with her the option of moving to Portumna for her peace of mind. “That was absolutely a non-starter,” he said. “She was adamant she wanted to stay in her family home.”

Three to four weeks later Mr Scott came to Portumna Garda station and told Sgt Cleary he was “having problems with Chrissie over the land”. He told the sergeant that Ms Treacy was being unreasonable and that he would have to “give up the cows” because he didn’t know where he stood with her and didn’t know what land he would have. He seemed upset, Sgt Cleary said, held his hand to his face and appeared to be crying.

“He asked me to have a word with her. I advised him that I wouldn’t be having a word with Chrissie on his behalf and I advised him to go to Derryhiney and show a bit of kindness to Chrissie and if he was good to her, it would work out okay for him.”

The trial continues in front of Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and eight women.

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