The trial of a Ballyvaughan man accused of murdering Deirdre McCarthy has heard he admitted putting his hands on her neck and that he "might have brought her down to the sea".
41 year old Colm Deely of School Road, Ballyvaughan has denied the murder of 43 year old Ms McCarthy, who’s body was recovered from Fanore Beach on March 31st 2011.
Fas worker Colm Deely was interviewed in hospital two days after Deirdre McCarthy’s body was recovered, having specifically asked to speak to Detective Garda T.J. Molloy.
He was taken there following an incident of self-harm and told the detective that he and Ms McCarthy had been "fooling around" in her bedroom when she started laughing at him – saying he could "forget about your money – and I want more now".
He told gardaí in a previous interview that he had given Ms McCarthy a loan of 2,900 euro in March 2008.
Colm Deely went on to explain to Detective Garda Molloy – that "As far as I know I just put my hands on her neck – I tried to talk to her and she wouldn’t answer me"
He said he put Ms McCarthy in his car and was panicking -" I might have brought her down to the sea," he added, saying
"I’m sorry for Deirdre, she is my friend" I don’t know what was going through my head,.
Mr Deely’s sister Catriona Lucas told the court she rang gardaí out of fear that he would harm himself, and found him with a stab wound to the stomach on the night of April 1st 2011.
She said Mr Deely told her in the ambulance that he would have preferred to have succeeded in taking his own life.
The case continues.
