Courts / Wicklow / Report

Car driven into sea was "instrument of murder", prosecution tells woman's murder trial

Summary

In a 2016 Central Criminal Court trial, the prosecution argued that Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, deliberately drove her car into the sea at Arklow harbour on 26 March 2013, resulting in the drowning of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos. Herda, who was in the car with Orsos that morning, escaped the harbour while Orsos' body was found later that day on a nearby beach. The prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage showing Herda's car moving from her home toward Orsos' residence around 5.30 am, a brake‑mark of 13 ft 6 in at the scene, and phone records indicating she called Orsos three times that morning, the last at 5.37 am. Herda had previously claimed that Orsos had been stalking her and that she could not stand his anger, but she also stated she knew he could not swim.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Car driven into sea was "instrument of murder", prosecution tells woman's murder trial. Charges or matters: the murder of 31-year-old Csaba Orsos on March 26, 2013; murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 26, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-07-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report