THE FORMER mistress of murder accused Eamonn Lillis was yesterday the first witness to be taken by gardaí through a secure entrance at the new Criminal Courts of Justice, ensuring press photographers could not take her picture.
Jean Treacy gave evidence yesterday in the trial of Mr Lillis for the murder of his wife, Celine Cawley, at their home in Howth in December 2008. Ms Treacy, a massage therapist, was having an affair with Mr Lillis at the time of his wife’s death.
The trial is being held in the new criminal courts complex near the Phoenix Park in Dublin, which has been operating since last Tuesday week.
The complex has an underground car park which can be used by members of the Garda, and lifts go from there to various parts of the building, giving direct access to courtrooms.
The main entrance is used by lawyers, journalists, jurors, witnesses, including members of the Garda, and members of the public.
Unlike other witnesses who have given evidence to date there, however, Ms Treacy was taken by gardaí through the underground entrance, which meant she did not have to face photographers outside.
Asked why she had been facilitated in this manner, a Garda spokesman said: “It would not be appropriate for An Garda Síochána to make any comment in relation to an ongoing prosecution.”
Also asked for a comment on the matter, a spokesman for the Courts Service said: “We would like to point out that the Courts Service has no part to play in making a decision to transport witnesses through the secure entrance to the Criminal Courts of Justice or any courthouse.”
The spokesman drew attention to the brochure presented at the opening of the new complex.
This explained that a secure entrance existed for the secure transfer of prisoners and for the use of gardaí, Courts Service staff and members of the judiciary.
Ms Treacy told the court yesterday that Mr Lillis had told her Ms Cawley had banged her head during a row with him about his failure to put out the rubbish.
She said she had met Mr Lillis after Ms Cawley referred him to her for a massage. The affair between them began about eight weeks before Ms Cawley’s death.
As far as she knew Ms Cawley didn’t know of the affair. She said she would not have known that they were having problems until he told her he was unhappy in his marriage about four or five weeks before his wife’s death. Ms Treacy said she had cut off contact with Mr Lillis in March of last year.