Men 'seen' at McAreavey room

An eyewitness saw the two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey emerge from her hotel room moments after he heard cries…

An eyewitness saw the two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey emerge from her hotel room moments after he heard cries of anguish coming from inside, a court in Mauritius heard.

Lawyer Mehdi Manrakhan, outlining the case for the prosecution, also told the jury in the island’s Supreme Court about the moment Mrs McAreavey's  husband John discovered her lifeless body in room 1025 at the Legends Hotel.

The prosecutor told the court that a witness heard a scuffle taking place in room 1025 at the Legends Hotel.

He told the  court, sitting in the Supreme Court building in Port Louis: “He heard a female voice crying and then ‘Agh, agh, agh’ as if she was in pain.”

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He claimed the witness - Raj Theekoy - then saw the two men accused of the murder leave the room.

“This was a dream honeymoon for John and Michaela, which turned into a nightmare," the prosecutor said.

Defendants Avinash Treebhoowoon (30) and Sandip Moneea (42) deny the charge of premeditated murder.

The prosecutor said Mr McAreavey had returned to their room after his wife, daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football boss Mickey Harte, failed to return from fetching biscuits to have with a cup of tea. He had to get a member of the hotel staff to open the door when no-one answered.

“As soon as John entered room 1025 his worst nightmare began,” said Mr Manrakhan. “In the bathroom John saw Michaela lying senseless in the bathtub.

"John removed Michaela from the bathtub, laid her on the floor and went to cry for help.

"The bell boy who had accompanied John was still in the vicinity of room 1025 and they both went back to room 1025 where John tried to revive Michaela.

"Members of the jury, it was too late. Michaela was already dead."

Mr Manrakhan said medical examinations showed Mrs McAreavey died from asphyxiation due to compression of the neck."Medical evidence is such that there can be no doubt that Michaela had been brutally killed," he said.

Avinash Treebhoowoon (30) (left) and Sandip Moneea (43) arrive at the court in Port Louis, Mauritius, on day two of their trial. Photograph: Paul Faith/PA Wire

While the prosecutor told the court Mr Treebhoowoon, a room attendant, had confessed to police about his role in the murder - which he said was a robbery gone wrong - he jury later heard claims that he accused the police of beating the statement out of him.

The prosecutor said Mr Moneea, a floor supervisor, emphatically denied involvement but the evidence would show he was a liar.

Extra security measures were implemented on the second day of the case. The trial witnessed chaotic scenes as it began yesterday with Mr McAreavey mobbed by crowds outside.

The jury of six men and three women was sent to a hotel last night and told by Mr Justice Prithviraj Fecknah to cut off all contact with the outside world.

Ms McAreavey, a 27-year-old teacher from Ballygawley, Co Tyrone, was killed while on honeymoon with her new husband, a Down footballer, on the Indian Ocean island in January last year.

The killing of Ms McAreavey has generated huge interest in Ireland and Mauritius, and there were chaotic scenes outside courtroom number five yesterday as crowds pressed to gain access to the building.

John McAreavey, accompanied by members of his and Ms McAreavey’s family, is listed among 30 prosecution witnesses due to give evidence.

Before he sequestered the jury to a hotel for the evening, Judge Fecknah advised members not to watch television or read the newspapers. “You will free yourself from all outward sources of information,” he said.

The matter was the only one heard before the jury on the first day, with the afternoon devoted to legal argument between the two teams of lawyers.

Outside court, John McAreavey’s sister Claire appealed for the family’s privacy to be respected during the trial.

“This is a very distressing time for both our families and the days ahead will be very difficult for us,” she said. “Thank you for your support and we ask for your prayers at this time.”

The accused face up to 60 years in prison if found guilty.

Additional reporting: PA