THE JURY in the trial of Karen Walsh for the murder of Maire Rankin (81) is expected to retire to consider its verdict today after the prosecution and defence lawyers made their closing submissions at Belfast Crown Court yesterday.
Liam McCollum QC, prosecuting, accused Ms Walsh (45) of uttering a “tissue of lies” in relation to the murder of the Newry pensioner while barrister Peter Irvine, defending, said his client was a “woman of good character”.
Mr Justice Hart began his summing up for the jury yesterday evening and is likely to conclude today, when the jury will be asked to begin considering its verdict.
Mrs Rankin was found bludgeoned to death and possibly sexually assaulted in her home in Newry on Christmas morning 2008. It is believed she was murdered either late on Christmas Eve or some time on Christmas morning.
The trial heard how one of the murder weapons may have been a crucifix.
Ms Walsh, a Dublin pharmacist with a business on George’s Street, denies the charge of murder and during the trial said she could “not have been any nicer to Mrs Rankin”. She and her husband have a second home in Newry, which is next to the home of Mrs Rankin.
Mr McCollum said the case against Ms Walsh was circumstantial but when all the strands of this evidence were put together, it resulted in an “overwhelming case” that established her guilt.
Mr McCollum said it was “absolutely crystal clear that all the evidence” pointed to the guilt of Ms Walsh. Were she innocent then “she must be the unluckiest person in the world”, given that there was so much incriminating evidence against her.
Mr McCollum outlined the circumstantial evidence such as her DNA found on Mrs Rankin’s chin and less clear DNA that was found on the victim’s breast and on the crucifix, and evidence of two phone calls made to Ms Walsh’s husband on Christmas morning three years ago.
He described Ms Walsh’s evidence of calling to see her late on Christmas Eve and of assisting her with her nebuliser and leaving her “fine” at about 2.30am on Christmas morning as a “tissue of lies” and said it did “not stand up to scrutiny”.
Mr Irvine challenged several of the “propositions” put by the prosecution and argued that when the jury examined all the circumstantial evidence, it would come to the conclusion that Ms Walsh was not guilty and that “the crown have failed in proving the case beyond reasonable doubt”.
He said of several items that were strewn around the house after Mrs Rankin’s naked body was found that not one of them had any forensic or DNA evidence linking them to Ms Walsh.
During the trial, the court heard that DNA on the victim’s chin was directly linked to Ms Walsh but that there could not be the same certainty about the DNA on Mrs Rankin’s breasts and on the crucifix because not enough DNA was obtained.
Mr Irvine suggested that the DNA from Mrs Rankin’s chin could have been indirectly and innocently transferred to the victim’s breasts by a member of her family.
During the trial it was also suggested that at about 7.30am on Christmas Day, Ms Walsh tried to ring her husband, Richard Durkin, on his mobile and at his Dublin landline number, even though he was purportedly in Newry with her at the time.
Mr Justice Hart is expected to finish charging the jury today. He told the jury that it must reach its verdict “with complete absence of sympathy or prejudice”.
