Man on trial over body found in ditch

A 21-year-old has gone on trial accused of murdering a man whose body was found in a ditch in north Dublin three years ago.

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

The Central Criminal Court was told the accused was one of two people who killed Mr Essalhi somewhere in fields behind Tyrrelstown Plaza between 9pm and shortly after 9.30pm on the night of January 2011.

Mr Alex Owens SC prosecuting told the court Mr Essalhi was living in Drumcondra and went drinking in a pub on Parnell Street in the city centre where he met with the accused’s uncle Wayne Kinsella and his partner.

After some drinking the three got a taxi to the home of Wayne Kinsella and his partner.

They continued drinking that afternoon at the duplex apartment in Tyrrelstown Plaza with a number of other people including Michael Kinsella.

Mr Owens said the Kinsellas believed that Mr Essalhi murdered Wayne’s brother Lee.

At around 9pm Mr Essalhi was asked to leave the apartment and Mr Owens said that somewhere in fields behind the Plaza Apartments Mr Essalhi was “done to death”.

Two weapons were used including a machete and a sharp instrument such as a knife, the court was told.

A machete, which was later shown to the court, was found next to the body but no other knife was recovered.

Mr Owens said it was the State’s case that at least two people were involved in the incident.

He told the court Michael and Wayne Kinsella then went back to the apartment and cleaned themselves up.

Mr Owens told the jury of seven women and five men the body was destroyed by setting it alight with petrol.

Sergeant Patrick Flynn told Mr Owens that he was involved in searches carried out around the Plaza involving 15 gardai.

He said noticed a green wheelie bin in a drain in a field behind the apartments and also saw tracks on the land that led him to a gap in the ditch.

He told the court that the body of a dead person was found in the drain a short distance away and it was partially covered in water.

Sgt Flynn said he also found a black wallet with a photograph of a child in it.

Sergeant James Cussen said Wayne Kinsella helped gardai in their search of the ploughed fields and pointed to a number of rocks.

Sgt Cussen said there was a bloodstained top under the rocks and it appeared that an attempt had been made to burn it.

Garda Stephen Foley said he discovered a knife after searching the ditch with a metal detector.

Detective Garda Ronan Lawlor from the garda ballistics section said he saw a man in the ditch laying face upwards.

He also said his T-shirt was pulled up and there was burning to the midsection of the body.

Det Gda Lawlor said he also searched the duplex apartment and there an empty knife block was found on the counter.

He said there were bloodstains on the stairs and he also found tissue with blood on it.

He agreed with Mr Patrick Marrinan SC defending that clay was taken from the ploughed field as a control sample to compare with footwear.

Det Gda Lawlor further agreed that no footwear impressions were found.

The trial continues.