Jury deliberating in Cork murder trial ask to see CCTV evidence again

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife by slashing her throat at their home in Wilton asked this morning to see again the CCTV evidence of the accused purchasing a carving knife two days before his wife’s death.

Arrangements were made to have this CCTV evidence replayed in the jury room as part of their second day of deliberations in the case.

43-year-old Regin Parithapara Rajan, denies the single charge of murdering his wife, 38-year-old Deepa Paruthiyezhuth Dinamani at their home at Cardinal Court, Wilton, Cork, on July 14 2023.

The jury went out shortly after noon yesterday and deliberated until after 4pm. 

Prosecution senior counsel Seán Gillane urged the jury to examine the evidence of the accused man purchasing the carving knife two days before his wife’s death and to consider the Google searches made by Regin Rajan including searches in relation to carving knives and prison conditions in Ireland before July 14 2023.

The accused testified during the trial that he purchased the knife because his late wife asked him to get one.

Defence senior counsel Brian McInerney said to the jury: “It is a tragic case, it an awful case, a human life has been lost but I would urge you to consider this is not a cold-blooded intentional killing, it is not murder. Whatever it is, it is not murder. I urge you not to find him guilty of murder.” 

The jury of seven women and five men was sworn in for the trial which commenced a fortnight ago on March 24 at the Central Criminal Court in Cork. 

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford told members of the jury panel at the courthouse in March that they should be available until April 11 as the trial could last “in excess of two weeks”.

The deceased worked in the accounts section of Alter Domus fund services at Cork Airport Business Park. The deceased and the accused both came from Kerala in south-west India.