A man accused of killing his sister was yesterday refused bail at Tralee District Court after objections by the State.
Mr Robert O'Brien (25), of Bay Three, Halting Site, Dingle Road, Tralee, was charged with the manslaughter of his sister, Ms Elizabeth McCarthy, at The Quay, Blennerville, on September 28th last at a special sitting of Kenmare District Court on Monday night. He has been in custody in Cork Prison since.
Yesterday, his solicitor, Mr Pat Mann, said he was applying for bail. Judge Humphrey Kelleher noted no application for bail had been made at the sitting in Kenmare.
A garda, Insp James O'Connor, for the DPP, said the State objected on the grounds of the seriousness of the charge, and the fact that the accused had left the area of Tralee "shortly after" the alleged crime.
He said that when arrested in Fermoy, Co Cork, some days later, Mr O'Brien had given a false name and address. There was "a weight of evidence" against him to prove the alleged charge, and he did not believe the accused would stand trial.
Asked to take the stand by his solicitor, Mr O'Brien said he was married with three children. His children were aged between three years and 3½ months, and he would abide by conditions set by the court.
Insp O'Connor put it to him he had left the area shortly after the alleged crime. "I left for a couple of days. I was coming back," Mr O'Brien said.
Judge Kelleher remanded him in custody to Cork Prison to appear before Cork District Court on October 20th.
The body of Ms McCarthy, a mother of three young children, of Cois Coille, Tralee, was found in a tidal stream between Tralee and Blennerville on Wednesday of last week by a man walking his dog. Ms McCarthy had attended a wedding on Monday, and was reported missing on Tuesday.