A CENTRAL CRIMINAL Court jury has found a woman not guilty of the murder but guilty of the manslaughter of her housemate and former partner.

During the trial, the court heard evidence that Monika Matracka (35) told gardaí that she killed Michal Rejmer (38) but was defending herself and was “the victim”. The deceased’s body remained in the house for at least three days before she moved it to the back garden.

Today, a jury of six men and six women found Matracka not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict of 11-1. They had deliberated for five hours and 38 minutes.

Matracka, with an address at The Pines, Briarfield, Castletroy, Limerick had pleaded not guilty to murdering Michal Rejmer at that address at a time unknown between 8pm on December 30 and midnight on December 31, 2015.

Mr Justice Paul Butler thanked the jury for their time and exempted them from jury service for a period of 10 years.

“Thank you all very much, you worked very hard at this matter,” he said.

The case was put in for mention on 6 March.

Mr Justice Butler remanded Matracka in custody until that date. The court heard there will be no victim impact statement.

The eight day trial heard that Michal Rejmer had helped Matracka out financially when she was studying in Poland in 2009. Matracka told gardaí that he wanted his money back on December 30, 2015 and if he did not get it she “would have to say bye bye to life” and he then cut her left hand with a knife.

She also told gardaí that she stabbed Michal Rejmer in self-defence saying:

I did it. It was me. I killed Michal.

Michal Rejmer was reported missing on 6 January 2016 after colleagues became concerned when he had not turned up for work at McDonald’s in Castletroy for a number of days. He was last seen on December 30, 2015.

His body was discovered by his friend and a local volunteer at the rear of his house in Castletroy under some plastic sheeting on 8 January 2016.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy gave evidence in the trial and told the jury that Mr Rejmer died as a result of bleeding from stab wounds to the arms.

Comments are closed as the case is still before the courts.

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