Murder accused Joe O'Reilly told gardaí that he had had an affair but that it was over by the time his wife Rachel was found dead at the family home in north Dublin, a jury heard today.
Detective Sergeant Patrick Marry said Joe O'Reilly was questioned on the day of the murder and he admitted that he did have an affair with a woman named Nicki Pelly but it was over. He also said that he had spoken on the phone to Ms Pelly at 12 midday that day.
It was the eleventh day of the trial of Joe O'Reilly (35) of Lambay View, Baldarragh, Naul, Co Dublin. Mr O'Reilly has pleaded not guilty to murdering Rachel O'Reilly, his 30-year-old wife and mother of their two children at the family home on October 4th 2004.
Detective Sgt Marry said that he and two other gardai went to Joe O'Reilly's mother Anne's house at Riverdale Crescent, Dunleer, Co Louth at 7pm on the day Rachel's body was found.
The door was answered by Mrs O'Reilly and she called Joe who came down from upstairs. Sgt Marry said he made notes of his conversation with Joe O'Reilly.
Mr O' Reilly told him that Rachel would have left their two sons, Luke and Adam to school at 9.15 am., Luke to Hedgestown National School and Adam to a crèche. Joe O' Reilly said that he had got up at 5.20am and said he had been sleeping in a separate room from Rachel because he was getting up early and didn't want to disturb her.
During the conversation with Sgt Marry, Mr O'Reilly said that when his wife's body was found, he tried to carry out CPR and that he had moved a box in the house.
"I asked him could he think of anyone who could do such a thing. He said that it was only recently that Rachel had been in contact with her natural mother and things had not been too hot," Sgt Marry said.
He also named a man from Ballymun who he said he had sacked recently and said he could have done it. He added that Rachel did not have any enemies.
Det Sgt Marry said he asked Joe if he or Rachel were having affairs and Joe said "there was nothing like that going on". He said that Rachel was involved in a campaign against a phone mast at Murphy's Quarry and had spoken about this on Newstalk radio and he also said they had been having "an issue" with their neighbours about a 40 foot stretch of land at the rear of their house.
"I asked him was he having marital difficulties and was there violence and he said there was no violence," Sgt Marry said. He told the court Mr O'Reilly
also said that Rachel had been reported anonymously to the social services for being rough with the children but this had been sorted out.
Det Sgt Marry said that he asked Mr O'Reilly for his shoes to eliminate him from people who had been walking at the scene and Mr O'Reilly gave gardaí a pair of shoes.
Sgt Marry said that on October 20th, 2006 he arrested Mr O'Reilly at his mother's house at Dunleer for the purpose of charging him with the murder of his wife and he was brought to Balbriggan Garda Station where he was charged.