Court hears statement from former partner of man accused of 1997 double murder

The court heard today that on August 16 1997, Sarah Jane Doyle was the victim of a serious assault in a house in Ballintober, Castlerea, Co Roscommon where Carl and Catherine Doyle were murdered.

The accused Mark Nash was then arrested in Galway for the assault of Sarah Jane Doyle in the house.

Today in court, counsel for the State, Mr Brendan Grehan SC read two statements from Mark Nash's former partner, Sarah Jane Doyle on how she first met the accused.

Justice Carroll Moran told the jury of six men and five women that the law allows a statement to be read from a witness and they could give it the same reliance as if the person had given evidence in the witness box.

The first statement from Sarah Jane Doyle (aged 36) was taken on August 16, 1997 by Det Sgt Dominic Hayes.

The court heard how Sarah Jane was the third youngest of seven children, four girls and three boys. She had worked in Supervalu upon leaving school in 1995.

Mr Grehan read to the court how on March 13, 1997, her son was born and two to three weeks later, herself and her sister went to the Vatican bar in the city centre.

The court heard that here she got talking to a man by the name of Mark Nash who said he was from Leeds.

Mr Grehan read: "He was foreign looking, had curly hair and was with his three friends in the nightclub. I talked to him all night and danced with him.

"He was drinking Southern Comfort. He sold advertising on bus shelters and said he lived in a flat."

The court heard that he told Miss Doyle that his grandmother lived in Ballina in Mayo and her surname was Nash.

Reading from the statement, Mr Grehan said Mark Nash told her, he had a daughter.

The court heard, that the next day, Sarah Jane Doyle and her son met Mark Nash and his daughter outside "Burger King" on O'Connell Street.

The jury heard that they began seeing each other regularly after this and at weekends Mark Nash would go to her house or Sarah Jane to his.

Mr Grehan read from the statement that a month later, Sarah Jane moved into Prussia Street and Mark Nash's previous girlfriend was also living there at the time.

"We got a flat then on Manor Street for three weeks but it wasn't suitable and we then moved to Clonliffe Road. Mark was then offered a new job with Dublin Direct" read Mr Grehan.

The court heard that on August 15, 1997, Sarah Jane Doyle decided that Mark and herself and the two children would visit her sister for two nights in Roscommon.

The second statement read by Mr Grehan from Sarah Jane Doyle was taken at Beaumont Hospital, after she had received a letter in the post from Mr Nash and the court heard that she recognised the writing.

Mr Grehan told the court the sealed envelope was addressed to "Head Injuries" at Beaumont Hospital and contained a three page letter to Sarah Jane.

The court heard that the short note began “Sarah there is a letter at home for you which you also should read.”

Reading from the statement, Miss Doyle said Mark Nash had enclosed £150 but there were seven £20 pound notes totalling £140.

Mr Grehan told the court, that it said in the letter, “he had done it before", and Sarah Jane said he had never mentioned that to her before.

The court heard how Mark Nash had previously written letters to Sarah Jane before and this was how she noticed his writing.

Reading from the statement, Mr Grehan said that Sarah Jane then gave permission in her statement for police to search their house.

Mrs Jennifer Dixon, sister of Sarah Jane Doyle, was called as a witness today and told the court how her older sister Catherine had got married to Carl Doyle before 1997 and moved to Ballintober in Roscommon under the rural settlement scheme.

When put to her by Mr Grehan, she agreed her other sister Sarah Jane Doyle had formed a relationship with Mark Nash.

Mrs Nixon told the court she was present in her mother's house in Blanchardstown on August 19 1997 when a letter arrived from the accused, addressed to her sister Sarah Jane Doyle. She handed the unopened letter to the gardaí.

The court also heard from Det John Leonard, an expert witness in the Document and Handwriting Section of An Garda Síochána in the Phoenix Park since 2003.

He said the letters seemed to "be done naturally and not in hesitation or disguise." They were written "fluently" in block capitals.

“There are common hand writing features from all documents with no sign of difference, it shows the letters were written by the same person" Mr Leonard told the court.

The trial continues.