A WOMAN has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin accused of impeding the murder investigation of Wexford woman Rebecca French, whose body was found in the boot of a burning car in 2009.
Ms French (30), a mother of two, was found dead on the outskirts of Wexford town on October 9th, 2009. She died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.
Helen Connors (25), Belvedere Grove, Wexford, has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Opening the case, Mary Ellen Ring SC, prosecuting, told the jury that Ms Connors had disposed of and attempted to destroy evidence with the intent to impede the prosecution of others whom she believed were guilty of of murder.
The court heard that in the two days before the discovery of Ms French’s body, both she and Mr Connors had been in the home of Patrick O’Connor (41), Ard na Dara, Clonard, Co Wexford.
Before evidence was heard in the trial, Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, made a number of admissions of fact which accepted that Ms Connors was at the home of Mr O’Connor before and after the body of Ms French was found and that alcohol had been consumed by the defendant and others in the house.
Det Garda Louise O’Loughlin, of the Garda Technical Bureau’s ballistics section, told the jury that during her examination of the scene at Ard na Dara, she found 37 locations of blood-like substances
These included clothing found in the utility room, two jackets found in the hallway and cushion and arm-rest covers found in the washing machine and in a basin under the kitchen sink.
She took swabs of various areas of blood-like staining and removed debris, including jewellery and cable ties, from the ashes of a recent fire in the living room.
The case continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and the jury.