Garda gives evidence at murder trial
A murder accused brought gardaí to a country lay-by where they discovered items taken from the body of a young deaf man who was beaten to death, the Central Criminal Court heard today.
Detective Garda Gerry Fitzpatrick, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, was giving evidence in the trial of Michael Sage, aged 26, of Glenacre, Killaloe, Co Clare, who is accused of murdering 22-year-old John Carroll.
Mr Sage has pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Carroll of Cappamore, Co Limerick at Garraun, Ballinahinch, Newport, Tipperary on December 4 1998.
He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of falsely imprisoning Mr Carroll on the same date.
Det Fitzpatrick said the accused directed gardaí to a location in Birdhill, Co Tipperary where they discovered a burnt travel pass and payslip belonging to John Carroll. The court heard that the accused told gardaí that he burned the items because he did not want them found on him.
Det Fitzpatrick said the accused told gardaí that at the murder scene another man, William 'Ning' Roche, asked him to open the boot of the car and pass him a ratchet with which he hit Mr Carroll about the head.
The jury heard that the accused directed gardaí to a quarry on the main Dublin to Limerick Road and pointed to a spot behind a timber fence where gardaí discovered a ratchet.
The court has heard that William Roche was convicted of Mr Carroll's murder earlier this year and that Deirdre Rose, who is now Mr Sage's wife, was charged with murder but acquitted.
The prosecution allege that Michael Sage was part of a joint enterprise to rob and assault Mr Carroll whose badly beaten body was found in a lonely boreen near Ballinhinch Co Tipperary.
The victim suffered several heavy blows to the head from a heavy object inflicted with such force that fragments of the skull were driven into brain tissue.
The trial continues on Monday.
