There were angry scenes at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday when a man was acquitted of killing his partner and dumping her body in Kinsale harbour 10 years ago.
The jury in the trial of Mr Timothy (Tadhg) O'Driscoll (46), of New Street, Macroom, Co Cork, were instructed by the trial judge to deliver a verdict of not guilty, after statements given by the accused to gardaí when he was in custody were ruled inadmissible.
Mr O'Driscoll had pleaded not guilty to unlawfully killing his partner, Ms Michelle McCormack (23), wrapping her body in a blanket inside a black plastic sack weighed down by stones, and throwing it over a bridge in Kinsale in July 1993.
On the opening day of the trial, the court heard the State's case was based on a series of admissions by Mr O'Driscoll to gardaí during interviews.
However, yesterday Judge Patrick Moran ruled those statements inadmissible, after which the State said that it had insufficient evidence for the trial to continue.
Members of the McCormack family and their supporters shouted abuse at the accused man as the verdict was delivered.
It was alleged that Mr O'Driscoll and Ms McCormack were on holiday with their daughter Leona (16 months), at a caravan park in at Owenahincha, west Cork, in July 1993 when Ms McCormack died after being hit in the eye by her partner.
It was alleged by the State that Mr O'Driscoll had wrapped her body in a blanket and placed it inside a large plastic sack, into which he also put heavy stones before putting her in the boot of the car and driving to Kinsale harbour and dumping the body over the bridge. Despite an extensive search by a Garda sub-aqua unit, the body of Ms McCormack was never found.
"He's going to walk out a free man, and all I want is to find my daughter's body. She was a very happy, beautiful girl and good mother," a distraught Mrs Kathleen McCormack said outside the courthouse.