The case against a 19-year-old Tipperary man for the attempted murder and attempted sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl ended in the Central Criminal Court yesterday when the man pleaded guilty to attempted murder.
Eric Daniels, of Elm Park, Clonmel, had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder and attempted sexual assault of the girl on November 10th 2001 at Kelly's Field, Gortmalogue, Clonmel. He had also denied two further charges of false imprisonment and assault causing harm on the same date.
However, when the trial resumed after legal argument, Daniels changed his plea to one of guilty of attempted murder. The State issued a nolle prosequi on the remaining three charges.
The plea followed a decision by the trial judge, Mr Justice Carney, to admit into evidence memos of interview notes taken while the accused man was in custody.
The parents and brothers of Daniels were in court to hear him enter the guilty plea. He was remanded in custody for sentencing on February 21st, when psychiatric reports will be made available to the court.
Discharging the jury, the judge said that it was open to the victim's family to give evidence at the time of sentencing should they so choose.
The jury heard video-link evidence from the girl during the three-day trial. She described how she thought she was going to die when Eric Daniels tied a black lace around her neck and choked her. She alleged that he had lured her into Kelly's Field and had then kicked her to the ground and tried to kill her.