Sydney murder trial delayed

THE trial into the alleged murder of a County Wexford man by his fiancée who hails from New Ross has been put back by a fortnight in Australia.

Cathrina (Tina) Cahill, from New Ross, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of her fianceé, Enniscorthy man David ‘Motcha’ Walsh at their home in Padstow, Sydney, between February 17 and 18 of last year.

The 29 year-old father of three, originally from Moran Park, Enniscorthy, died from a wound sustained at their home,

Cahill was remanded in jail in Sydney pending the trial, which is now due to begin on Monday, October 22 and to last between five and eight weeks.

A pre-trial hearing is taking place, beginning next Monday, for an estimated five days.

In February the prosecutor had asked for the arraignment to be stood over until April as police were still making inquires about potential witnesses who live overseas and about whether they would return to Sydney or give evidence from London. But Cahill’s lawyer asked for a trial date to be set, saying the inquiries have been going on for more than six months, and her client has been in custody for nearly a year at the time.

Even with a trial date, police could continue trying to get witnesses from Ireland, she said.

Justice Elizabeth Fullerton went ahead with the arraignment and listed the trial, estimated to last six to eight weeks, for October 8, but the trial is not now due to begin until a fortnight later on October 22.