Man denied killing in garda interviews

The trial of a 21-year-old accused of murdering a man in north Dublin three years ago has heard he denied the killing when interviewed by gardaí.

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.

Mr Essahli’s body was found in a ditch in fields behind Tyrrelstown Plaza and an attempt had been made to burn him.

The Central Criminal Court has heard that the accused’s uncle Wayne Kinsella was convicted of the murder in 2012. 

It heard that Mr Essahli met Wayne Kinsella and another woman in a pub on Parnell Street and went back to drink further at their apartment in Tyrrelstown. 

The jury heard memos of interviews with the accused after he was arrested for the murder of Mr Essahli. The accused denied murdering him and going back to Tyrrelstown the next day to burn the body saying Mr Essahli was still alive in the living room when left.

“Of course I’m denying it, I didn’t do it,” he told gardai. 

“I didn’t murder nobody,” he said. 

'I didn't burn nobody,' he added. 

He said he never met Mr Essahli before and denied thinking that the deceased had killed his uncle, Lee Kinsella.

Under cross-examination Detective Garda Brendan O’Hora told Mr Patrick Marrinan SC defending that the accused was cautioned before he was interviewed that he was not obliged to say anything. 

Det Gda O’Hora also agreed that the accused consented to providing bodily samples and fingerprints during the course of his detention.

Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan told Mr Alex Owen SC prosecuting that when arrested the accused replied: “I did not murder him.” 

He further agreed that after his uncle Wayne Kinsella brought gardai to the scene of the murder he was charged within hours. 

Det Sgt Callaghan further agreed that no charge was brought against the accused until Wayne Kinsella’s murder trial was over. 

Detective Garda Bernard Connaughton agreed with Mr Marrinan that the accused went voluntarily to Blanchardstown Garda Station on January 15, 2011.He also agreed that he called voluntarily to the garda station again the following day and he continued to deny his involvement in the murder and the burning of the body. 

The court was told that a machete-type weapon was found beside the body and that no knives were forensically linked to the events.

State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy previously told the court that Mr Essalhi’s body 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.