Family Give Evidence In Kearney Murder Trial

The parents and sister of murdered Siobhan Kearney have been giving evidence at the trial of the victim's husband, Brian.

Mrs Kearney's younger sister Niamh McLaughlin told Dublin Central Criminal Court how she arrived at her sister's home in south Dublin on the morning of February 28, 2006 to leave her car before going to work.

She said that she found her three-year-old nephew wandering around the house alone and found her sister's bedroom door locked. She called her parents, Eoin and Deirdre McLaughlin who came and broke the door down.

Mr McLoughlin told the court that he believed that Mr Kearney did not show much emotion when he arrived at the house on the day his wife's body was found.

Mr Kearney, 50, from Carnroe, Knocknashee in Goatstown, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his 38-year-old wife Siobhan Kearney.

Mrs Kearney's body was found in a bedroom in their home on February 28, 2006. A post-mortem revealed that she died from ligature strangulation and had also suffered extensive bruising consistent with significant force applied to her neck.

Earlier on Monday, Prosecution Counsel Denis Vaughan Buckley told the court that there was significant evidence to dispute claims that Mrs Kearney could have committed suicide.

The court was also told that the Kearneys had been having marriage difficulties and that Mrs Kearney had made an appointment with a local citizen's advice centre to seek legal advice.

A jury of eight women and four men were sworn in at Dublin's Central Criminal Court on Monday morning.

Last Wednesday, the jury in the case was discharged after it emerged that one of the members of the jury worked for the company that fitted the alarm system at the Kearneys' home.

The system was fitted around 10 years ago and the jury member had only worked for the company for 18 months.

However, Mr Justice Barry White discharged the jury.

Earlier on Monday, Prosecution Counsel Denis Vaughan Buckley told the court that there was significant evidence to dispute claims that Mrs Kearney could have committed suicide.

The court was also told that the Kearneys had been having marriage difficulties and that Mrs Kearney had made an appointment with a local citizen's advice centre to seek legal advice.

The trial is expected to last around four weeks.

(KMcA)