ONE OF THE teenage boys accused of murdering Ana Kriegel told gardaí in a statement that he had “no idea” what happened to her.
Two boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, have pleaded not guilty to Ana’s murder. Boy A has also been charged with aggravated sexual assault – a charge he also denies.
In formal statements given at Leixlip Station the day after the 14-year-old’s disappearance in May of last year, both of the accused spoke to gardaí about their last sightings of Ana.
The court heard that they were asked to do so as there were some inconsistencies in their previous accounts of exactly which route they took with her through a local park on the day she was last seen. Both had previously spoken to gardaí informally.
Speaking to gardaí on the day she was last seen, Boy B confirmed that he knew Ana and had last seen her in a local park on the afternoon she disappeared.
A day later, gardaí called to his house again and asked him to show them the route he took. It was then he mentioned Boy A. Later that afternoon, Boy A, accompanied by his father and Boy B walked gardaí through the local park and showed them the route they took.
It was the discrepancies in these accounts which led gardaí to ask them to make a voluntary statement on the matter in a bid to clarify exactly which route they took, the court heard.
In his statement to gardaí that evening, read in court today, Boy B explained how Boy A asked him to call for Ana and bring her to the park so he could talk to her. Boy B said Boy A wanted to “sort out some relationship issues with her”.
He said he walked through the park with Ana and that they exchanged small talk. Boy B said he met Boy A and that he then stayed behind to give Ana and Boy A some privacy as they spoke.
Boy B said a small amount of time passed and he then saw Ana walking away. He said she seemed down and looked upset.
“I saw Ana turn back towards the changing rooms again – I did not see her after that or speak to her. I know Ana had her phone on her and it was switched on as I saw her checking it once or twice.”
Boy B, in his statement, said he did not see Ana again and went home and did his homework.
He said: “The first time I knew there was a problem with Ana was when the gardai called to the house. I have no clue what happened to her.”
Earlier this morning, a garda sergeant described how he feared something was wrong when he saw the two boys accused of murdering Ana Kriegel share a look while showing officers where they went the day Ana disappeared.
Giving evidence to the Central Criminal Court, Sergeant Aonghus Hussey of Leixlip Garda Station was one of two gardai walking with the accused asking them to show the route taken by the boys that day.
Sergeant Hussey said gardai were trying to establish their precise movements that day. He said at one point “there was some confusion” in their accounts and that then he “saw a look given between Boy A and Boy B which I was not happy with. I felt immediately there was something wrong.”
Both Sergeant Hussey and Sergeant John Dunne who were walking with the boys, decided to split them up and speak to them individually.
Both boys would later go on to give statements to gardai.
The court has previously heard that Ana’s body was discovered naked except for socks on her feet and a tie around her neck which was made with a distinctive builder tape.
She had obvious head injuries and the scene was “bloody” and “blood-spattered”.
Prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan described how her clothes were damaged which he suggested showed that they were forcibly removed.
The prosecution said that a post-mortem revealed serious and extensive injuries to Ana’s head and neck. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy’s report would also find injuries suggesting attempted penetration of Ana’s vagina, Grehan added.
The trial continues.
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