A jury has heard that a 33 year-old Dublin man strangled his girlfriend in their apartment on a Friday evening in October last year and waited until Sunday morning to contact gardai.
Stephen Carney went on trial yesterday at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 27 year-old Amanda Jenkins at Anna Livia Apartments, James' Street in Dublin 8. He denies the charge.
Defence counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, told the jury that his client admitted that he strangled the deceased and caused her death. He admitted that it happened at around 8.30 p.m. on October 5, 2007 and that gardai arrived at the apartment around 10.30 am on Sunday October 7.
During interviews with gardai Mr Carney denied that he had intended to kill his girlfriend.
Prosecuting counsel, Diarmaid McGuinness SC said the couple lived in a third floor flat and that Ms Jenkins arrived home from work in a fruit and vegetable shop on James' Street at around 7.45 pm on Friday October 5, 2007.
A row broke out between her and the accused because he could smell 'hash'. The prosecution say she was on the sofa, that Carney leaned down towards her and she gave him a 'clatter' across the face. He then grabbed her by the throat and strangled her.
On Sunday morning Carney rang 999 and told gardai that he had just killed his girlfriend. Recordings of the conversation with garda command and control were played to the court.
He said he had strangled Ms Jenkins with his hands on Friday night and he had tried to kill himself. He said she was in the bedroom and he wanted gardai to come and take him away.
Anne Jenkins, the mother of the deceased, said she last spoke to her daughter by phone at around 8 pm on the Friday. The following day she received two phone calls from the accused in which he said Ms Jenkins had 'packed in' her job. He said she was in bed asleep and that her mobile phone battery was dead.
Ms Jenkins' employer and co workers gave evidence that she was due to open the shop she worked in on Saturday morning but failed to do so. They were unable to reach her or Mr Carney by phone or by calling to the apartment complex.
Garda Paul Maher told the court that he arrived at the flat on Sunday morning following Mr Carney's 999 call. He said the accused appeared visibly upset and told gardai "she's in there".
Mr Maher said he found Ms Jenkins' body in the bedroom covered in a duvet or sleeping bag.
Statements were read by the prosecution detailing Mr Carney's movements on the Friday. He was seen drinking bottles of beer in a pub and going in and out of a betting shop where he lost €4,600 but won €7,140 during
that day.
Garda Peter Clifford told the court that he had analysed CCTV footage of the apartment complex along with a swipe card key system. Ms Jenkins was last seen entering the complex at 7.45 pmon Friday.
Mr Clifford detailed Mr Carney entering and exiting the complex on several occasions between Friday and Sunday morning.
The hearing continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of eight men and four women