MEG WALSH made a complaint to gardaí about her husband less than two weeks before her disappearance, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard.
Sgt Eric Gavigan told Denis Vaughan Buckley, prosecuting, that Ms Walsh called to Waterford Garda station on September 22nd, 2006, and informed him that her husband had assaulted her two days earlier.
John O'Brien (41), Ballinakill Downs, Co Waterford, denies murdering Ms Walsh (35) between October 1st and October 15th, 2006.
Garda Gavigan told Mr Buckley that Ms Walsh refused to take the matter further at that time. The jury had previously heard from Dr Bernadette O'Leary who said that Ms Walsh had come to her surgery with bruising and swelling to the backs of both hands and her right shoulder. Dr O'Leary said she had advised her to go to the Garda.
The jury also watched video footage showing Ms Walsh's silver Mitsubishi Carisma being left in the car park of the Uluru Pub in Waterford city. Garda Alan White told Dominic McGinn, prosecuting, that he found the car at the back of the car park at about 1.15am on October 4th.
He said the car could be seen on CCTV footage being driven into a space at the back of the car park.
After a few seconds someone could be seen getting out the driver's door. He agreed with Paddy McCarthy, defending, that the quality of the footage was not good enough to see whether there were one or two people in the car or whether they were male or female.
Owen Walsh, who returned to the stand for the third day, told Mr Buckley that he had never been in Ms Walsh's car. He had never driven it or had anything whatsoever to do with her disappearance.
Det Garda Gerry Whelan told Mr Buckley that he and his colleague Det Garda Kevin Nolan met Mr O'Brien on October 2nd after his wife had been reported missing. He said he was "very nervous."
Det Garda Whelan said he and his colleague had a look around the house. There was a bin outside the back door, beside it was a piece of rolled-up carpet. There was also a garden shed which appeared locked. Mr O'Brien produced a large bunch of keys but his hand was shaking so much he couldn't get the key into the lock.
Det Garda Whelan said there was wet clothing on the washing line. He went to the utility room and was standing by the washing machine. "John became very anxious as I was standing there. I got the impression he didn't want me standing there."
Mr O'Brien agreed to give gardaí a formal statement. He told them he got home from work on the Saturday at about 7pm. They had arranged to go out that night and Ms Walsh told him that her friend Eoin O'Regan was coming around to the house.
The three drank together for about 15 minutes before walking to the Woodlands Hotel. They met the usual crowd and stayed until about 3.30am. He said his wife suggested that Owen Walsh come back with them. They finished drinking at about 5am and she suggested that Mr Walsh stay the night.
He went down to turn out the lights and when he came back up, the door to the spare room was closed. "Meg and Owen had their arms around each other kissing. I said what the f*** is going on? Owen started apologising."
Mr O'Brien said he ordered Mr Walsh out of the house. When he had gone he asked Ms Walsh why she had kissed him. She replied: "If you paid me more attention."
"I told her I did pay her more attention." They couple slept in separate bedrooms that night.
Mr O'Brien said the next day he got up at about 1pm. His wife was still asleep so he went out in the car and came home about 5pm. She was watching television.
He asked her again why she had kissed Mr Walsh. "She told me I drove her to it." He went upstairs to watch television in the bedroom. He heard his wife moving around the house and heard her leave at about 8.30pm. He heard her car start and drive off. He had not seen her since.