The ex-wife of a 39-year-old Dublin man told a jury at the Central Criminal Court today that on 29th March in 2000 her ex-husband was "trying to kill" her.
Mr David McDaid of Sillogue Avenue, Ballymun, Dublin, denies attempting to murder Mrs Dymphna McDaid (35) at a horse-riding school at Surgalstown, Swords, Co Dublin on 29th March 2000.
The accused denies a second charge of assault causing serious harm and a third charge of engaging in conduct causing a substantial risk of death to Mrs McDaid.
Addressing the jury in his opening speech for the prosecution, Mr Ciaran O'Loughlin, SC, said that on March 29th 2000, "a man on a motor bike grabbed Mrs McDaid, struck her with his fists, dragged her into the stables where a rope was tied to herneck".
Mrs McDaid lost consciousness and when she came to, Mr O'Loughlin said yesterday, "there was baling twine still connected to her neck and Mrs McDaid was still connected to a head coller for a horse".
Mr O'Loughlin told the jury that Mrs McDaid was "positive then and is positive now" that the man who attempted to murder her was her ex-husband, Mr David McDaid.
"It was Mr McDaid's intention not only to cause serious harm to Mrs McDaid but it was his intention to kill", Mr O'Loughlin told the jury.
Giving evidence today, Mrs Dymphna McDaid told the jury that she married Mr McDaid in November 1995, having two children Sean and James, now aged eight and six. The marraige, she said ended in 1999. "I had to get a barring order in March 1999".