A Kilkenny teenager accused of murder allegedly said: "I didn't do it, you are not going to make me say I did it," when he was arrested by gardaí for the murder of a 36-year-old mother of two.
Det Sgt Liam Maher told the Central Criminal Court that Mr Mark Costigan (18) was arrested on New Year's Eve 2002 for the murder of Mrs Christine Quinn.
Mr Costigan, Aylesbury, Kilkenny city, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mrs Quinn at her home two years ago. The court heard that the victim's teenage son found her badly beaten and partially burnt body on December 5th, 2002, at Greenfields Road, Kilkenny.
Yesterday Det Sgt Maher said that during the first interview with gardaí on December 31st, 2002, Mr Costigan said he "used to be best mates" with Mrs Quinn's son, Ronan. However, they fell out sometime after September 2001, said Mr Costigan.
The accused had his right hand bandaged the day after the alleged murder, telling gardaí he hurt it using a "jigsaw" in construction studies class. Det Sgt Maher said he told the accused that his teachers had "no record" of him cutting his hand on a saw.