‘Skin removed’ from man’s stomach, murder trial told
A CARER has told of the bloody scene she encountered when she found the bodies of two elderly brothers in their home.
Helen Maloney was giving evidence in the trial of Alan Cawley, who admits he killed the two men in their Mayo home four years ago, but denies it was murder.
The murder trial also heard that pieces of skin ‘appeared to have been removed’ from the stomach of one of the men, and that their killer had been released from prison a few days earlier.
The evidence was heard yesterday at the Central Criminal Court where Mr Cawley is on trial for the murder of Thomas Blaine and John (Jack) Blaine, who were beaten to death.
The 30-year-old, of Four Winds, Corrinbla, Ballina, Co. Mayo, has admitted killing the brothers, one of whom was disabled and was scalded during the assault. However, he has pleaded not guilty to murdering them on July 10, 2013 at New Antrim Street, Castlebar.
Helen Maloney told Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, that she was employed as a ‘home help’ by the HSE and had been caring for the brothers for around nine years before they died.
She described them as being ‘absolute gentlemen’. Ms Maloney agreed that Jack Blaine had speech and hearing problems, a spinal injury and also suffered from dementia. ‘They were a pleasure to look after,’ she said. ‘They gave so much love and respect to me. I loved them dearly, and so did the people of Castlebar.’ Ms Maloney said she arrived at their house at 7.15am, went into the kitchen and called out in the same way she had every day: ‘Are you ready to rock and roll?’
She got no answer and looked into Tom Blaine’s bedroom, where she saw him lying on the floor, with his legs on the bed.
She said Mr Blaine was saturated in blood.
There was blood on the walls and bloody handprints in the room, she said, noting the blood came from Mr Blaine’s head.
She found Jack Blaine on his back half in and half out of the back door of the house.
‘He was also covered in blood,’ she said. Ms Maloney said she then saw Michael ‘Rocky’ Moran, owner of the pub across the road.
She described the bar as Jack Blaine’s ‘home from home’, where he could get a cup of tea any time of the day. She told Mr Moran the brothers were dead and not to go into the house. In evidence, Mr Moran said that he had gone inside anyway. He described Jack Blaine as being ‘all cut’.
‘He was all sliced,’ said the publican and undertaker. ‘It’s one of the worst sights I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of sights.’
He said that Mr Blaine sometimes drank tea in the pub, but that staff would mainly bring it across the street for him and leave it on his windowsill.
Garda Michael Tolan was one of the first gardai on the scene. ‘There appeared to be pieces of skin removed from his stomach,’ he said of Jack Blaine.
The jury then saw CCTV footage of Mr Cawley’s movements around the time of the killing. It showed the accused enter the Blaine home at midnight, followed by Mr Blaine. Mr Cawley was seen leaving the house an hour and two minutes later.
The jury heard the accused had been released from prison a few days earlier.
The trial continues today.
‘There was blood on the walls’