Trial begins of former defence forces member accused of Westmeath murder

A retired member of the defence forces has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman in Co Westmeath four years ago.

Jimmy Devaney (66) of Millbrook Avenue, Monksland, Athlone has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to murdering Marie Greene on February 13th, 2011.

Alex Owens SC, prosecuting, told the jury it was the State’s case that the accused murdered Marie Greene on the evening of February 13th, some time after 8pm, at Annagorta bog in Ballykieran outside Athlone.

Ms Greene lived at St Mel’s Terrace for a number of years with her mother and sister, the court heard.

The court was told the accused, who is a retired member of the Defence Forces, was from Monksland in Co Roscommon.

Mr Owens said the evidence will be that, for a number of years, Ms Greene was a prostitute in Athlone and Mr Devaney was one of her clients.

Counsel said Ms Greene was murdered by Mr Devaney because she was blackmailing him and it would appear from the evidence that in the months leading up to February 13th the accused was looking for money from a number of sources.

The court was told Ms Greene was looking for the money or he would be revealed to his wife. Mr Owens said the jury would hear evidence that, shortly before the events, he got €1,000 from one of his card-playing friends and €3,000 from a brother-in-law in England.

The court heard Mr Devaney was a card player who attended the Lighthouse Casino in Custume Place, Athlone where people would all chip in and last man standing would take all the money.

Mr Owens said the jury would hear evidence of telephones used in the case.

Ms Greene was seen walking up Grace Park Road towards the Social Welfare Office that evening, the court heard.

Counsel said the evidence will be that she was seen getting into a jeep and that was the last time she was seen alive. Her body was found nine days later on February 22nd.

The prosecution’s case is Mr Devaney had attended at the Lighthouse Casino and anyone who signed in early got an extra chip.

At 7.30pm he was the first person to sign in and Mr Owens said the jury would see him using mobile phone in vicinity of the casino.

Counsel said at 7.56pm he picked her up and it is the prosecution’s case he murdered her at Annagorta Bog.

The court heard he arrived back to the card player’s club before nine o’ clock. He was agitated and discommoded and had scuff marks on his shirt and said “he was obliged to pull somebody out of a bog”.

The State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy will give evidence the cause of death was five or six very deep stab wounds to the left side of the chest which penetrated her lungs and heart causing her to die very quickly.