A KERRY woman told a murder trial jury yesterday her husband said: "I've killed him. He's over there dead" after he had found her lover in the family home.
Mrs Kathleen Murphy said she saw her lover, Mr David Ryle, jumping from a back window after her husband, Michael, arrived at their house near Ardfert late at night.
She told the Central Criminal Court that after Mr Ryle had jumped from the window she saw her husband running with his hands in the air and something in his hands. Mrs Murphy said her husband was saying: "I'll kill you" or "I'll get you". Her husband came back into the house and said: "I've killed him. He's over there dead" and "I'll have to go to jail now. Who'll take care of the kids?"
Mrs Murphy said under cross examination that she had sexual intercourse with Mr Ryle "frequently".
She said she had met Mr Ryle, a friend of her husband's, at the Puck Fair in Killorglin in 1991 and had stayed with him at a bed and breakfast on that occasion.
She was giving evidence on the opening day of the trial of her husband, Mr Michael Murphy (34), a carpenter and father of three, of Strand Street, Tralee, Co Kerry. He has denied the murder of Mr Ryle (22), a bachelor and labourer of Graigue, Ardfert, Co Kerry, at Lerig, Ardfert, between January 4th and 5th, 1995.
Mrs Murphy (31), told prosecuting counsel Mr Gregory Murphy SC she met Mr Ryle with her husband at the Puck Fair in Killorglin in 1991. Her husband left the family home at Lerig in June, 1994, and moved to a flat in Tralee.
She had gone to England on December 27th, 1994, with Mr Ryle and her husband looked after their three children. She had returned late and had slept in her husband's van because he would not let her into the house. He said he had not heard her knocking.
On the evening of January 4th the family had dinner together and her husband said he was going to Tralee but he returned 15 or 20 minutes later and said he had forgotten his keys.
Her husband later rang her from a Tralee bar and asked her what was going to happen between them. Mrs Murphy said they had a "cold" conversation.
She got a babysitter and went to Tralee where she met Mr Ryle. They had drinks and then want to a takeaway meal. Mrs Murphy said she then drove Mr Ryle back to her house at Lerig and she went in the front door while Mr Ryle went around the back.
Mr Ryle told her he was "knackered tired" and just wanted to go to bed and went up to the bedroom. She then heard her husband's van in the driveway and Mr Ryle went for the window.
She went to the back door and saw her husband running with his hands in the air. There was something in his hands and he was saying: "I'll kill you" or "I'll get you".
When her husband came backs in she kept asking where David was. She went to the hall and picked up the phone and the next thing the glass of the front door was pushed in by her husband.
He took the phone from her and pushed her into the sitting room and stood against the door. "He was just out of his mind really," she added.
Mrs Murphy said there had been rows between her husband and Mr Ryle which resulted in blows being struck
Cross examined by Mr Anthony Sammon SC, for the defence, Mrs Murphy said she had married her husband in June, 1984, and had first met Mr Ryle in 1991 when he was introduced to her.
She told Mr Sammon she loved Mr Ryle and when asked if she loved her husband she said: "I did at one time".
She agreed she had told her husband she was going to England with a woman friend. Mrs Murphy said they had tried marriage counselling and she agreed that she continued to see Mr Ryle.
Murphy agreed with Mr Sammon that when she first went out with Michael Murphy he did not have a drink problem. She agreed that he now has a serious drink problem and that it was as a result of what she did.
She agreed with a suggestion by Mr Sammon that her husband was being destroyed and that she was "author of his destruction".
"I just didn't realise how serious it could get. But I know now that Michael always cared. He just cared so much."
Opening the prosecution case Mr Gregory Murphy SC told the jury that they would hear evidence from State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, that Mr Ryle died from head injuries consistent with injuries inflicted by a wooden post.
The trial is continuing.