A 42-year-old Louth man accused of the murder of a German tourist allegedly told gardaí to tell her parents he was sorry for taking her life, a jury at the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Det Garda Paul Gilton testified that the accused man, Mr Michael Murphy, broke down sobbing and trembling after almost eight hours of questioning on the day of his arrest on October 27th, 2001.
"He said 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' and broke down sobbing with his head in his hands and was visibly shaking," Det Garda Gilton told the court. "He then said, 'Just tell that girl's parents I'm sorry for taking her life and for what I did to her. I'm so, so sorry'", the garda told prosecuting counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC.
Mr Murphy's trial resumed yesterday after six days of legal argument. Mr Murphy, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, Co Louth, is charged with the murder of journalist Ms Bettina Poeschel (28) on a date on or between September 25th and October 17th, 2001. He was arrested at his home on Saturday morning, October 27th, 2001, and is pleading not guilty to her murder.
Minutes before his breakdown at Drogheda Garda station, Mr Murphy requested a visit from his girlfriend, Ms Samantha Johnson, who was also arrested that day. Det Garda Gilton read to the court a memo of what was said during Ms Johnson's visit. When she asked him if he did it, Mr Murphy allegedly replied, "What do you think?" whereupon Ms Johnson repeated her question, "Tell me, did you do it?"
The accused man allegedly replied, "I'm sorry, Samantha". Ms Johnson asked again, "Did you do it, Michael? Tell me the truth," to which Mr Murphy said, "Don't raise your voice" and asked for her to leave, according to Det Garda Gilton.
Mr Murphy was "visibly shaken" after her visit. "I noted at the time that he was visibly shaking, he was trembling," the detective said. Mr Murphy then allegedly put his head in his hands and began sobbing.
Detectives asked him what happened the day of Ms Poeschel's disappearance and Mr Murphy told them to tell her parents that he was sorry for taking her life.
"I felt that he was going to admit to me what he had done to Bettina Poeschel and so I pressed on and asked him what happened," Det Garda Gilton told defence counsel Mr Patrick MacEntee SC.
"I asked him, 'How did you kill her, Michael?' and he replied, 'I don't want to say anything else about it, I'm so, so sorry'," Det Garda Gilton said. Mr Murphy was "sobbing" and "trembling" and asked to be returned to his cell.
The jury has heard that Ms Poeschel's semi-naked body was found lying face down in the grass almost three weeks after she disappeared.