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A detective garda sprinkled himself and armed officers, who had surrounded the house of a homicide accused, with holy water to show that he was not the satan and that the gardaí have been “good individuals attempting to take him out of this home peaceably,” a homicide trial has heard.
The Central Prison Courtroom heard on Friday that, throughout a stand-off between armed gardaí and Patrick McDonagh, who the jury heard had a historical past of psychological well being points, the accused informed the detective that he was on the cellphone to God and that he believed the garda was the satan or was doing the satan’s work.
The jury additionally heard from Dr Edward Connolly, of Forensic Science Eire, who discovered blood staining that indicated an assault on an individual who was bleeding closely within the toilet of a neighbouring home exterior which pensioner Peter McDonald was discovered lifeless within the early hours of the morning.
He stated he examined swabs taken from areas of blood staining on the lavatory flooring, kitchen flooring, a door deal with, wall and porch of the 73-year-old’s house. The DNA profile matched that of Mr McDonald, whose lifeless physique had been discovered mendacity face down in his driveway by gardaí shortly after 6am on July twenty fifth, 2020.
Patrick McDonagh (52), with an tackle at Whitechapel Street, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, is charged with murdering his next-door neighbour Peter McDonald (73) on Whitechapel Street on July twenty fifth, 2020. He has pleaded not responsible to homicide however responsible to manslaughter. The State has not accepted his plea.
The jury has heard that “gentleman” pensioner Mr McDonald was present in a pool of blood exterior his house after being violently attacked with a machete by his neighbour. In his opening speech final week, Philipp Rahn SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, informed the jury that the proof will present that Mr McDonald died by machete and stab wounds to the pinnacle and neck within the early hours of July twenty fifth, 2020.
Mr Rahn stated he anticipated the primary challenge the jury will grapple with will likely be whether or not Mr McDonagh’s psychological well being on the evening amounted to the “particular defence of diminished accountability”. Mr Rahn informed the jury that Mr McDonald was a “quiet man, a pensioner, who stored to himself and lived along with his cats” and that Mr McDonagh, who had a historical past of psychological well being points, was his next-door neighbour for 5 or 6 years.
Dr Connolly on Friday informed Mr Rahn that he went to Mr McDonald’s house the day after the incident that resulted in his demise. An examination of blood stain patterns within the toilet revealed areas of drip staining and pooling. Areas of spatter staining, he stated, indicated that exterior pressure had been utilized to liquid blood.
Contemplating the variety of areas of blood staining and their completely different traits, Dr Connolly concluded that there had been an assault on an individual who was bleeding closely on the time.
There have been additional blood stains in Mr McDonald’s hallway and porch and outdoors on his driveway. The DNA profiles generated matched that of Mr McDonald, Dr Connolly stated.
Det Gda Michael Hughes informed Mr Rahn that he was at house in mattress, having completed a shift at 4am on July twenty fifth, 2020, when he was awoken and requested to attend an ongoing incident.
He arrived at Mr McDonagh’s home at 9.06am and was made conscious that Mr McDonagh had requested him and indicated he would converse solely to Det Gda Hughes. The detective stated he knew Mr McDonagh by his work in group policing.
Mr McDonagh was inside his personal home which was surrounded by armed gardaí {and professional} negotiators.
Sgt David Swan informed Mr Rahn that he was the first negotiator on the crew however when he tried to interact with Mr McDonagh it was “extra me speaking than a dialog with Mr McDonagh”. The choice was taken to permit Gda Hughes to talk to Mr McDonagh.
Det Gda Hughes stated he spoke to Mr McDonagh “on and off” for a few hours, primarily on the subject of faith and God. Mr McDonagh informed Det Gda Hughes that he was praying for him and requested him to go away and return at 6pm for the angelus.
After a interval of about 20 minutes from 11.15am, throughout which Mr McDonagh didn’t have interaction in any dialog, armed gardaí entered the home the place they subdued and arrested Mr McDonagh.
Beneath cross-examination, Det Gda Hughes agreed with defence counsel John Fitzgerald SC that he had recognized Mr McDonagh since 2012 and so they had developed a friendship. He described Mr McDonagh as typically approachable, pleasant and interesting however on that morning he was agitated and aggressive.
The principle subject of dialog had been faith and god and at one level the detective believed he heard Mr McDonagh talking on the cellphone and saying that he was speaking to God.
At one level he stated Mr McDonagh appeared unconvinced that he and the opposite gardaí have been there to assist. He recalled Mr McDonagh accusing him of being the satan or doing the satan’s work, so when Mr McDonagh handed a bottle of holy water out by the letterbox, Det Gda Hughes took it and sprinkled himself and different gardaí with it.
He stated he did so to show to Mr McDonagh that he was not the satan and that the gardaí have been “good individuals attempting to take him out of this home peaceably. I needed to show to him that I used to be there to assist him,” he stated.
The trial continues earlier than Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of 9 males and three ladies.
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