Courts / Wicklow / Report

Woman told paramedic: "I drove the car into the water", murder trial hears

Date
2016-07-07

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Arklow

County
Wicklow

Summary

In the Central Criminal Court, Marta Herda, aged 29, is on trial for the murder of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsas. The prosecution alleges that on 26 March 2013, Herda drove Orsas into a harbour at South Quay, Arklow, where he drowned. During the trial, a paramedic testified that he was called to the quay at about 6.15 a.m. and found Herda soaked, cold and shivering, with white foam in her mouth. He treated her for hypothermia and transported her to hospital. While in the ambulance, Herda repeatedly said that Orsas "shouldn't have been there" and that she had driven the car into the water. A witness, Christina Byrne, claimed to have heard Herda shout that she had been raped, but her statement was cross‑examined and the court noted uncertainty about the words. The case remains at the trial stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman told paramedic: "I drove the car into the water", murder trial hears. Charges or matters: the murder of 31-year-old Csaba Orsas on March 26, 2013; murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

March 26, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
2016-07-07 Publication

Why: " Ms Travers agreed that it was possible because she didn't speak Polish and because an echo in the area might have distorted the words. CNI source report