Ana Kriégel murder accused feared he was ‘set up’, trial hears

A boy accused of the murder of Ana Kriégel said he feared his co-accused was trying "set up him" by making him call for her before her death, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

On Thursday morning, the trial of the two 14-year-old boys heard from five witnesses who were all in the same year in school as the accused.

The final witness, who cannot be identified because of his age, told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC he knew both Ana and the accused boys.

He said he had been in primary school with Ana and had hung around with her in a group shortly before her death.

The boy said he spoke with one of the accused, Boy A, the day after Ana went missing. He said Boy A told him he had been with Ana the previous night in the park.

Boy A had an injury, the witness said. When he asked him about it, Boy A told him he had been beaten up by two teenagers in the park.

The witness told counsel he later recognised the abandoned house where Ana’s body was found because he had gone exploring there before with a group of friends.

The witness said sometime in June, the second accused, Boy B, told him he had to tell him something and asked him not to tell anyone else. This was after Ana’s body had been found, he said.

He said Boy B told him he had gone with Ana to explore “the abandoned place” and that they met Boy A there.

Headlock

Boy B told him he saw Ana and Boy A get into a “physical argument” which became violent, the witness said. “He said he saw (Boy A) get her into a headlock and get her on the ground.”

The witness said Boy B told him he saw Ana fighting back. She was pushing Boy A off and trying to punch and kick him. Boy B said he then “freaked out” and ran away.

Under cross-examination by Damien Colgan SC, defending Boy B, the witness said he had another conversation with Boy B earlier that day.

During this conversation, Boy B said he believed Boy A was trying to “snake him.”

He said he believed he was trying to “go behind his back, set him up.”

The prosecution alleges that Boy B lured Ana from her home at 5pm on May 14th, 2018 on the pretence of meeting Boy A, who Ana was “interested” in.

Boy A then allegedly violently sexually assaulted and murdered her in the derelict farmhouse as Boy B watched.

The witness told Mr Colgan that Boy B said he feared that Boy A had tried to set him up by having him call for Ana that day. He said Boy B told him not to say anything about their conversation.

The witness agreed with Mr Colgan that he did not tell gardaí about the conversation, which occurred in June, until the following November.

He said he “didn’t really think about it” until a garda called him one night in November and asked if there was anything else he wanted to say about Boy B.

He did not tell the garda about the conversation on the phone but told his parents that night who made an appointment for him to see that garda the next day, he said.

Boy A has pleaded not guilty to the murder and sexual assault "involving serious violence" of Ana Kriégel on May 14th, 2018, at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan in Dublin.

Boy B has pleaded not guilty to the murder of the girl on the same date.

The accused were 13 at the time of the alleged offence.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.