Ex-Irish Army Ranger accused of stabbing infant
An ex-Irish Army Ranger and former sanctions inspector in Iraq stabbed to death an 18-month-old infant by slashing the baby's neck so forcefully that it cut into the cervical bone, it was alleged in the Central Criminal Court today.
Mr John Reilly (32) of Crooksling, Brittas, Co Dublin has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Oisin Reilly-Murphy at Kiltalown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght, co Dublin on 5th June 2000
The prosecution claim that the accused murdered the infant -the son of the accused's cousin-after a drinking session at a relative's house at which John Reilly and the child's parents stayed overnight.
In his opening speech, prosecution counsel Anthony Sammon SC said John Reilly was on good terms with the child's parents, Grainne Murphy and Thomas Reilly, and there was no apparent motive for the murder.
"We don't know why he did what we allege he did, which was the killing of this infant child," counsel told the court.
The jury heard that the accused, who was employed by a specialised security firm monitoring sanctions
In Iraq, had returned to Dublin on leave on 21 May, 2000. He was friendly with Hugh Reilly, Oisin's uncle and socialised with him on a number of occasions from the end of May up to the time of the killing on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
On Sunday 4 June, Grainne Murphy, Thomas Reilly and baby Oisin arrived at Kiltalown Road to spend the evening with Thomas's brother, Hugh Reilly, his wife Siobhan and their three children at their home at Kiltalown Road, Jobstown in west Tallaght.
There was a lot of drink consumed over the course of the evening, including cider, beer and whiskey, Mr Sammon told the jury. At 11.30pm or 12 midnight, the accused John Reilly arrived at the house and joined in the drinking and card playing in the kitchen. A bottle of Poitin was produced when the other drink ran out.
Grainne Murphy had put the baby down for the night on a makeshift bed on the sitting room sofa in the before retiring to an upstairs bedroom at around 3.am. Hugh Reilly put two armchairs together to make a nest, and moved the baby from the couch to the armchairs before going to bed himself.
At 8.30am, Grainne Murphy came downstairs looking for baby Oisin. She saw John Reilly asleep on the two armchairs and then saw the baby, lying face down on the accused's right hand side.
She picked him up and noticed dried blood near one of his ears and on his face and he appeared cold, Mr Sammon told the jury. She saw what appeared to be a silver, fold-up knife, similar to a Swiss Army knife.
"Grainne recognised it was being John Reilly's knife when she saw it", he said. There would be evidence that the accused carried it around in a pouch attached to his belt.
The court heard that the accused picked it up and then dropped it to the floor. When the gardai arrived, they found John Reilly sitting on the stairs sobbing.
There were blood stains on the accused's left hand and on the upper part of his jeans, with the bottom heavily blood stained The accused said he "does not know what happened" and cannot remember, Mr Sammon told the jury. He said it was a case in which the accused man made no admissions.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Carney and a jury.
