A car resembling the one belonging to a woman whose husband is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for her murder was seen travelling away from the Quays in Waterford in the early hours of the day she was reported missing, the court heard today.
35-year-old Meg Walsh's body was recovered from the River Suir on October 15th 2006, after being missing for two weeks. She had died from blunt force trauma to the head. Her husband, bus driver Mr O'Brien (41) with an address in Ballinakill Downs, Co Waterford denies murdering her on a date between 1st October 2006 and 15 October 2006.
The jury heard from a number of Garda witnesses who had analysed CCTV footage
from over 100 cameras around Waterford city and county. Detective Garda Michael Burke told Mr Dominic McGinn BL, prosecuting, that he had observed a silver Mitsubishi Charisma resembling Ms Walsh's car, driving from the Quays towards the Mall, heading out of town at 12.52 a.m.
The jury heard that Ms Walsh's car had several distinguishing features including a sun roof, distinctive dark trimmings and metal alloy wheels. Mr O'Brien's Mazda 323 was identified from its sun roof, the lowered visor on the driver's side and several stickers on the front window.
Garda Adrian Cullinane told Mr McGinn that he observed Mr O'Brien's Mazda 323 drive into the carpark on the Quays at 5.38 on Sunday afternoon. He saw Mr O'Brien get out of his car wearing a distinctive three-quarter length jacket with white stripes on the arm and walk towards the river.
He disappeared from view for two minutes then reappears and walked back to the car, driving away seconds later towards home. Mr O'Brien initially told gardai that he had returned home at 5pm on Sunday where he had his final conversation with his wife.
Sergeant Niall Cawley told Mr McGinn that he observed a car he believed to be Mr O'Brien's leaving the Tesco carpark at 8.25pm on Monday October 2nd. At approximately 9.05 a silver Mitsubishi resembling Ms Walsh's car was seen leaving the car park. The jury heard earlier in the trial that the Mitsubishi was abandoned in the carpark of the nearby Uluru Pub at 10.03pm.
Gardai estimate that it took four minutes to walk from the Uluru carpark to the Tesco carpark. A car resembling Mr O'Brien's Mazda 323 was seen leaving the Tesco carpark at 10.07pm.
The jury heard that his house alarm had been deactivated at 10.11. Gardai estimate the journey from the Tesco carpark to Mr O'Brien's house would take 4 or 5 minutes in light or moderate traffic. The jury also heard that gardai had checked CCTV footage to corroborate the statement given by Mr Owen Walsh.
Last week the jury heard that Mr O'Brien caught Mr Walsh kissing Ms Walsh after a night of drinking at their local bar at the Woodlands Hotel, the night before her disappearance.
Mr Walsh was observed going into a Londis shop in Ballinakill at around 8am on
Sunday October 1st. He had told gardai he had called to the shop on his way home after Mr O'Brien had asked him to leave the house. Mr Walsh was also seen going into Tesco with his wife on Sunday evening at around 7pm and also driving to his work at Waterford Port on Monday October 2nd.
He was also observed calling into a convenience store en route to work to buy a paper and some chewing gum. Detective Garda Kevin Nolan told Mr McGinn that these sightings were in line with what he had told gardai.
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury of seven men and five women.