Macroom murder trial witness tells jury of hearing a lot of "f***, f***, f***" uttered from house

The Macroom murder trial jury was told today of a witness who saw the late Michael Foley at his home at 7.30am on February 1 2024 and that he had no blood on him, and she heard in the background a voice and a lot of “f***, f***, f***”.

She returned about five hours later, opened the door but did not go into the house more than one step, because she heard the voice of Michael Foley saying to get out, without even knowing who was there. The witness described him as sounding very, very drunk and as if something was in his throat.

61-year-old Michael Foley was found dead on February 6 2024, lying in a pool of blood at his home at his home at Annville, Barrett’s Place, Macroom. 

Jane Hyland, prosecution senior counsel, said their case is that he was murdered on February 1 2024. 32-year-old Daniel Hourigan, who is originally from Farranree in Cork city, pleaded not guilty to his murder.

Detective Garda Brian Ahern gave evidence of the statements made by the witness who was not present in court, who stayed at Michael Foley’s home occasionally.

43-year-old Neringa Stalioniene met Michael Foley in November 2022 when she was homeless and using Simon facilities in Cork. He said she could use the smaller bedroom at his home in Macroom and she did so, staying there for weeks or months at a time. She said that when he started drinking he would sometimes tell her to get out. She described a platonic relationship between them, adding that he was her father’s age.

Ms Stalioniene said in her statements to gardaí that she slept there on the night of January 31/ the morning of February 1 2024 and did not hear anything unusual.

“At 7.35am on February 1 2024 I met Michael in the corridor of the house. He looked normal, he did not have blood on his face or his head. He told me to get out. 

"I hear voices from Michael Foley’s bedroom… I heard a voice, I think a man’s voice, there may have been more. A lot of f***, f***, f***,” Ms Stalioniene stated.

She returned about five hours later at 12.32pm. “I opened the door, It was not locked. I thought he would be sleeping or still drinking. The first sound I heard when I entered was he shouted to get out of my house. He sounded very very drunk. It sounded like something in his throat. I didn’t see him. I did not go further than one step into the house because he is landlord and I didn’t want any confrontation with him. I didn’t hear anyone in the house this time. I think the TV was on in the background. I closed the door and left the house.” 

The jury of six men and six women was told that while the evidence of this witness was being read from her statements to the gardaí, the jury could take them as being the same as if she had given the evidence in the witness box.

Detective Garda Brian Morris, who described the harvesting and analysis of CCTV from multiple cameras at commercial and other premises around Macroom, in particular on January 31 and February 1 2024, gave further evidence today. He said that approximately 5,000 hours of CCTV was downloaded from cameras around Macroom.

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland explained what was meant by the response to the murder charge made by the accused when he said, “Not guilty of murder but guilty of assisting an offender under Section 7 Subsection 2 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.” 

She said that in non-legal language, “what that means is that he is saying to you that he helped another person when they committed an offence to prevent them being caught,” but that he is not guilty of murder.

The trial continues.