A 34-year-old Co Kerry carpenter accused of murdering his wife's lover told the trial yesterday he was in love with his wife and had hoped they would get back together after separating a short time before the killing.
Mr Michael Murphy, a father of three, told the jury at the Central Criminal Court how he had moved out of the family home near Ardfert into a flat in Tralee when he discovered his wife wash having an affair with Mr David Ryle (22).
Mr Murphy, of Strand Street, Tralee, was giving evidence on the second day of his trial. He is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryle, a bachelor and labourer, of Graigue, Ardfert, Co Kerry, between January 4th and 5th, 1995.
He told his counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, he had married his wife Kathleen a year after they met. He had regarded himself as happily married.
In 1991 he, his wife and her cousin had gone to Killorglin for Puck Fair and she had met David Ryle. Mr Ryle had had his arm around Kathleen's waist in a pub. Mr Murphy tried to take his wife out but he was put out by the barman. That night he slept alone in his van. The following day his wife told him she had stayed in a bed and breakfast. She said Mr Ryle had gone home.
Mr Murphy said he became aware of their relationship about a year before Mr Ryle's death when he found four letters and six photographs in his wife's bag. They showed Mr Ryle and Kathleen together in pubs. His wife denied she was having an affair.
He went to England to his sister' to try to work things out. His wife promised she would not see anyone and persuaded him to return. But she continued to see Mr Ryle. She told him she was seeing marriage counsellors and went out about twice a week. He suspected she was seeing Mr Ryle.
Mr Murphy said he had developed a dependence on alcohol and believed he was now addicted.
He said his wife told him she wanted to go to England for Christmas 1994 and said there was a good chance they could get back together. He moved into the house and she telephoned every day.
Earlier Sgt Simon Grace told the court he had gone to Lerig, Ardfert, following a radio message, and had seen Mr David Ryle lying in a pool of blood in a yard opposite the accused man's home.
When he approached the accused man and asked him what had happened Mr Murphy told him he had come up to his former home and had seen Mr Ryle coming out. "That I was coming out of my house and I got a fencing post and chased him and hit him"
After he had arrested Mr Murphy and was bringing him to Tralee Garda station the accused man had asked a Garda colleague about Mr Ryle's condition. When informed he was very serious he replied: "I hope he f...... dies."
He had asked Mr Murphy if he had previously assaulted Mr Ryle and his wife and he had replied to both queries: "I did."
Mr Gregory Murphy SC, prosecuting, told the court that the conlclusions of the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, were that the deceased had died from head injuries consistent with blows from an instrument such as the wooden post which had been produced.
The trial before Mr Justice Morris and a jury continues.