Kilkenny murder trial: Accused's brother claims he confessed
The brother of a Kilkenny man on trial for a cold-case murder claims he confessed to him that he did it when he called to his house drunk one night.
Fifty three-year-old John Joseph Malone from Newpark is accused of strangling Anne ‘Nancy’ Smyth before setting her home on fire thirty years ago.
Barney Malone (54) said his younger brother John Joe arrived at his home on the evening of November 18th 2006 with three bottles of cider.
He said he was drunk and rambling at the kitchen table.
He said John Joe would often say “you know what I did” without elaborating, but on this occasion, he said he blurted out that he’d killed Nancy Smyth.
He said he threw him out of the house but that he came back with a knife and stabbed him in the stomach.
He said he still believes he did so because he regretted confessing to him.
When asked why he didn’t tell Gardaí until six years later, he said he didn't want to testify against his flesh and blood.
Barney’s character and credibility was called into question under cross-examination when he admitted being a convicted rapist.
The court heard he used to beat his wife and has spent over twelve years in prison for two separate rapes in Kilkenny.
His brother’s murder trial will resume on Monday.
