A JURY has heard that the Health Service Executive obtained a court order to prevent the man accused of murdering 14-year-old Melissa Mahon from having access to her in the days leading up to her disappearance.
Ronald McManus (44), also known as Ronnie Dunbar, of Rathbraughan Park, Sligo, denies murdering the schoolgirl on a date between September 14th and 30th, 2006. He also denies threatening to kill one of his daughters during the same period.
Social worker Catherine Farrelly told the Central Criminal Court that on September 7th, 2006, she applied to the District Court for a care order and an order under section 47 of the Child Care Act preventing the accused from having access to her without the prior consent of the HSE.
Ms Farrelly said Melissa left her family home having made allegations of abuse against her parents and had been spending a large amount of time with the accused and his daughters in the summer of 2006.
She was last seen by Ms Farrelly at a HSE facility on the morning of September 14th and was later seen by other health executive staff heading in the direction of the Rathbraughan estate. Her remains were found on the shore of Lough Gill in February 2008.
Ms Farrelly told Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, that she became involved with the Mahon family in April or May 2006. Melissa was unhappy and missing school.
Ms Farrelly made arrangements to meet Melissa and her mother on dates in August 2006 to discuss her education but they were postponed by Mrs Mahon. Melissa had been missing from her family home for 2½ weeks before Ms Farrelly was made aware of that on August 22nd.
The social worker said Melissa was thought to be with the accused man so she went to his house with a garda on August 22nd. He said he did not know where Melissa was and was very concerned about her.
The following day the accused turned up at Markievicz House, where Ms Farrelly worked. He said he had contacted Melissa and she would be in touch. Ms Farrelly said at that stage the accused was the only link they had to Melissa.
She said the accused described Melissa as “a very hurt and very frightened human being” and he wanted to know why the authorities had not been looking for her earlier.
Ms Farrelly said that after discussions with her colleagues and gardaí it was decided that the accused should keep in contact with Melissa and encourage her to go into care.
Mr Dunbar later rang Ms Farrelly and said Melissa was willing to comply. She was placed in Lis na nÓg on August 28th but continued to go missing to spend time with the accused. Ms Farrelly said Melissa was not getting a chance to settle in or allow staff to engage with her in a therapeutic way.
Ms Farrelly said foster care was arranged as she was considered to be increasingly at risk. She was taken to a foster family’s home but left near midnight barefooted.
Ms Farrelly said that on October 10th, 2006, after gardaí had searched his house, the accused rang her. He was angry that it had not been publicised that Melissa had been in the care of the HSE at the time of her disappearance. The trial continues.