Confession of killing only came ‘after lies’
A MAN’S confession to beating an ex-lover to death with a hammer had a degree of ‘self-pity’ and came after he lied repeatedly, his murder trial has heard.
Making his closing statement for the prosecution, Paul Greene SC told the jury that Roy Webster, 40, waited from April 3 – when he admits to killing Anne Shortall, 47 – until April 7 when he revealed to gardaí his part in her death.
Mr Greene said that there is a ‘degree of self-pity’ when Webster talked about all the things he had worked so hard for in statements to gardaí. He pointed out that over the previous four days Webster had lied to Ms Shortall’s daughters when they asked him if he could help them find their mother.
He then lied to gardaí repeatedly over the weekend before he confessed on the Tuesday when his wife confronted him in front of gardaí, the court heard. It is already accepted that Webster – who had a one-night stand with Ms Shortall, who in turn threatened to tell his wife – killed Ms Shortall, and Mr Greene said all that the jury must decide is what his intention was.
Counsel explained that the defence can claim that he lost control to the point where he was no longer master of his own mind, but he said the jury should consider Webster’s actions in the aftermath of beating Ms Shortall to death.
Webster went home and was ‘completely normal’, according to the evidence of his wife’s friend.
With the body in his van, he had a drink with his wife, watched TV and fell asleep, it was heard. The following day he went shopping, and that evening moved her body to his workshop where he made a ‘thorough attempt to secrete her’ – while on the Sunday he had what he referred to as a ‘pyjama day’, the court was told.
Mr Greene said the accused only began to claim that he had lost control after he was arrested and had been given ‘a very thorough opportunity to explain himself’.
He asked the jury to consider that in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Ms Shortall he taped her hands and head with duct tape.
Mr Greene reminded them of the evidence of State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy, who said that the tape around her head may have caused her to die from asphyxia. He pointed to further evidence that Ms Shortall had fought for her life’.
Webster’s barrister Brendan Grehan SC will make his closing statement to the jury at the Central Criminal Court today.
Webster, of Ashbree, Ashford, Co. Wicklow, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Shortall on Good Friday, April 3, 2015 at The Murrough, Co. Wicklow.