A gravedigger accused of murdering his partner told emergency services who arrived at her home that the mother-of-two had self-harmed by stabbing herself, a jury has heard.
It was during the opening of the trial of Martin Hayes at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday that a prosecuting barrister said a jury will also hear that after 27-year-old Amadea McDermott's death, the accused man entered into a relationship with another woman, who will give evidence that he became upset on Christmas Eve 2018 and said things about what happened on the night his former partner died.
Sean Gillane SC with Michael D Hourigan BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the accused and Ms McDermott's relationship was "difficult, volatile and abusive". "It was a relationship where there was some degree of violence... that doesn't make anyone guilty of a particular offence but is the context in which the relationship has to be understood," he added.
Martin Hayes (34), with an address at Poddle Close, Crumlin, Dublin 12 is charged with murdering mother-of-two Amadea McDermott (27) at her home in Rathvale Drive, Ayrfield, Coolock on or about July 20th, 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court has heard that Mr Hayes was working as a gravedigger in Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold's Cross at the time of Ms McDermott's death.
Prosecution's case
Opening the prosecution's case on Tuesday, Mr Gillane said the incident developed over the course of the night of Wednesday, July 19th and into the early morning of July 20th, 2017, at Ms McDermott's home on Rathvale Drive.
Mr Gillane told the jury that Ms McDermott was in a relationship with Mr Hayes at the time and he often stayed at that address which was a townhouse type of apartment. "That relationship with Mr Hayes had been in place for a couple of years," he said.
He added: "It was a relationship which was difficult, it was volatile, it was abusive and it was a relationship which had some degree of violence. In saying that to you, that was the context of the relationship, that doesn't make anyone guilty of a particular offence but is the context in which the relationship has to be understood".
There will be evidence, Mr Gillane said, that there was abuse of alcohol and controlled drugs within the relationship from time to time.
Outlining the facts of the case, Mr Gillane said the accused, Ms McDermott and the two children were present in the apartment as night fell on July 19th. He said that emergency services were called by Mr Hayes in the early hours of July 20th and the jury would hear three 999 calls as part of the evidence in the case.
In relation to the evidence against the accused, Mr Gillane said Mr Hayes had phoned a sister of Ms McDermott, who was at home asleep in bed, in or around that time. "Having answered the telephone she spoke to the accused and he reported some difficulty in relation to Amadea and repeated the phrase 'cardiac arrest'; that something had happened in relation to a cardiac arrest," he said.
Counsel told the jury that Ms McDermott's sister alerted other members of the family and another sister had run on foot to the deceased's home.
When medical personnel gained entry to Ms McDermott's apartment they found her in some distress, he said. It appeared to medical personnel that she had suffered a stab wound to the abdomen, which had caused significant internal bleeding.
There will be evidence, Mr Gillane said, that Ms McDermott was removed to Beaumont Hospital where further attempts were made to save her but they came to nought. The deceased sadly died shortly after her arrival at the hospital, he continued.
"Upon the arrival of ambulance personnel, the accused was noted as being in his underwear, you will hear they spoke to him, at that stage he effectively reported that Amadea had self harmed, that she had stabbed herself and that she threatened to do so after an argument they had," said Mr Gillane.
Hospital argument
He also indicated to the jury that the deceased's sisters attended Beaumont Hospital and that Mr Hayes had gone there separately. He said the jurors would hear about a brief argument that ensued between them there.
The barrister further stated that gardaí interviewed Mr Hayes with his consent in relation to what had happened. "He described an argument, he said he tried to extricate himself from it and tried to remove himself to the bedroom. He said she stabbed herself and he called emergency services when she collapsed on the living room floor," continued counsel.
Outlining the circumstances of the deceased’s death, Mr Gillane said a postmortem carried out by retired State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy revealed that Ms McDermott had died from a stab wound to the right side of the abdomen. The postmortem also revealed bruising to her face and body; "some fresh and some old", he said.
The court will also hear evidence, the lawyer said, that there was a DNA match between the deceased and a small amount of blood on the knife.
Counsel said the court will further hear that the accused man entered into a relationship with another woman some time later. "You will hear from her that on Christmas Eve 2018 at the time she was wrapping presents for her children where she lived, where Martin Hayes was in attendance, he became upset at that juncture and he said things to her of what happened in July 2017".
The trial continues on Tuesday afternoon before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. It is expected to last up to four weeks.
