Courts / Wicklow / Report

Driving car into sea deliberately would have been "suicide", defence tells murder trial

Date
2016-07-21

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Arklow

County
Wicklow

Summary

In a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, the defence counsel for Marta Herda, a 29‑year‑old Polish waitress, argued that if she had deliberately driven her car into the harbour at South Quay, Arklow, it would have constituted suicide rather than murder. Herda is charged with the death of 31‑year‑old Csaba Orsos, who drowned after the vehicle entered the water on 26 March 2013. The defence highlighted that the prosecution's case was unsustainable, noting that the handbrake may have been pulled by Orsos and that the evidence did not prove intent to kill. The counsel suggested that any verdict should consider whether Herda's actions were reckless or intentional, and urged the jury to consider a not‑guilty outcome. The trial was scheduled to continue with the jury hearing on Friday.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Driving car into sea deliberately would have been "suicide", defence tells 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
2016-07-21 Publication

Why: "He said to you that some of you might find it fanciful or farfetched that Marta Herda deliberately drove into that water because she had the window open and could swim," he said. CNI source report