Murder accused had splashes of blood on him, court hears

A woman has told the trial of a 21-year-old accused of murdering a man in north Dublin three years ago that she saw splashes of blood on him.

Michael Kinsella of Swiftbrook Close in Tallaght and previously of Ardkeen, Cavan town, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Adil Essalhi (31) at Tyrrelstown, Co.Dublin on January 6, 2011.

Gemma Brady Deegan told the Central Criminal Court she was staying in her mother’s home in Tyrrelstown Plaza when the accused’s uncle Wayne Kinsella and Mr Essalhi came back there at around 3pm.

She said that the men were drinking upstairs in the sitting room of the duplex apartment when Michael Kinsella arrived with a woman.

She told Mr Alex Owens SC prosecuting that the group were upstairs and were drinking “all day and all night”.

She said that the men left to go to a party after midnight and returned 45 minutes later.

Ms Brady Deegan said Wayne Kinsella was in the kitchen and was covered in blood and there were splashes of blood on Michael Kinsella.

She said Wayne Kinsella was bragging about what he had done and had stripped off his clothes.

Ms Brady Deegan said Michael Kinsella had changed his clothes also and that she heard the washing machine going on a couple of minutes later.

Under cross-examination she agreed with Mr Patrick Marrinan SC defending that she previously gave evidence at Wayne Kinsella’s trial and that he was convicted of murder.

When asked by Mr Marrinan to describe the accused’s uncle she replied: “Wayne Kinsella, to me, is a dirty, murdering psychopath.”

 She further agreed that Wayne Kinsella had previously been convicted of killing a man who was visiting his wife’s grave and that he was “incredibly violent”.

 She also said she was aware that Wayne Kinsella attacked a foreign lady in Tyrrelstown by striking her over the head with a hammer leaving her with brain damage.

 Ms Brady Deegan agreed that Wayne Kinsella was staying at her mother’s house in Tyrrelstown Plaza and she shared the accommodation with him on the 7th and 8th of January but she said left on the 9th.

 She agreed with Mr Marrinan that Wayne Kinsella was bragging about how he cut the body up and set fire to it twice because “it didn’t work the first time.”

 She further agreed that she had made a statement telling gardai that Wayne Kinsella came back to the apartment with Mr Essahli and he described him as his good friend.

 But she said Wayne Kinsella later told her that he thought the deceased was involved as a getaway driver in the killing of his brother Lee Kinsella.

 She also agreed with Mr Marianan that this was a truthful account and did not involve Michael Kinsella.

 Ms Brady Deegan further agreed that the next morning Wayne Kinsella said he had stabbed the deaceased 60 times “because he was putting up a fight” and “If I had a hacksaw, I would have cut him up in little pieces”.

 State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy previously told the court that Mr Essalhi’s body, which was discovered in a ditch some days after he died, had 58 separate injuries with 19 chop wounds to the skull and facial bones and there was evidence of post mortem burning.

 The trial continues.