Murder accused ‘didn’t want to be seen’ with schoolgirl who was later found dead
One of the two boys accused of murdering schoolgirl Ana Kriegel claimed that the other boy arranged to meet the 14-year-old in a park, a court has heard.
He claimed that two teenage girls had said Ana “had a crush” on Boy A and that he, Boy B, was to tell him this.
The Central Criminal Court in Dublin heard that in a statement given to gardai hours after Ana’s body had been found, that Boy B said he was “not happy” he had been involved in the incident.
Ana’s naked body was found in a derelict house in Lucan, Co Dublin, days after she went missing in May last year.
The two boys are standing trial accused of her murder.
Boy A has pleaded not guilty to murder and sexual assault “involving serious violence” of the schoolgirl.
Boy B has pleaded not guilty to murder. The boys cannot be identified because of their age.
Detective garda Gabriel Newton told the court that she and another garda officer called at the home of Boy B a few hours after Ana’s body was found.
She told the court that the accused said an arrangement was made between Boy A and himself that he would call at Ana’s home.
Boy A, he claimed, asked him to bring Ana out to a local park.
“He said he wanted to tell Ana he did not want to go out with her,” Detective Newton said.
“He said that (Boy A) didn’t want to be seen with her.
“(Boy B) said he was not happy he was involved in the incident after she had been found dead in the park.”
The detective also told the court that Boy B said Ana had showed him a picture of her tied up with tape at a house.
When asked what she had been wearing on the day she disappeared, Boy B described her as wearing a “slutty top”, black hoodie and a top.
He also said he didn’t see Boy A until the following evening when he discovered that Boy A had been attacked in the park.
“(Boy B) thought maybe Ana beat up (Boy A) in the park,” she added.
Boy B told gardai that he was wearing black bottoms, runners and a grey top.
Garda Newton had been tasked to investigate the alleged assault on Boy A on the day Ana disappeared.
He claimed he was attacked by two men in the park between 5.30pm and 5.40pm. He said he was knocked to the ground, stomped on and kicked in the head.
He said he was able to get off the ground and fight back.
The incident was reported to gardai later that day by Boy A’s father. Garda Newton asked Boy A if he could hand over the clothing he was wearing on the evening so a number of tests could be carried out.
She said it was important to establish if any DNA, body fluids or fibres had been transferred to his clothing from the men who allegedly attacked him.
The court heard that Boy A was willing to do so and that he had also made a comment that Ana had pushed him in the chest area that day.
“It came out of nowhere. Nobody asked him about that. He just said it,” she said.
The trial continues.
