THE MURDER TRIAL of Ana Kriegel this morning heard how Boy A arranged for Boy B to pick up Ana and bring her to a local park because Boy A “didn’t want to be seen with her”.

The court heard from Detective Garda Gabrielle Newton who was tasked with investigating an alleged assault on Boy A which the boy said happened on the day of Ana’s disappearance. 

The boy told the detective that he had walked through the park when he noticed that two men in their late teens or early twenties were walking behind him. 

The garda said Boy A told her he had hastened his pace but that the two men caught up to him and had “thumped” him a number of times. 

He said he was knocked to the ground and his arm was stomped on. 

Two boys – 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.

It is being alleged by the prosecution that Boy A murdered Ana and sexually assaulted her. It is the prosecution’s case that Boy B assisted the murder and knew what was going to happen. 

Incident

Detective Garda Newton said both she and a colleague called to the home of Boy B at 6pm on Thursday 17 May – a number of hours after Ana’s body was found. 

The garda described how Boy B said he was not happy he was being involved in the incident. The court heard that, at this stage, he knew Ana had been found.

Detective Garda Newton then described how she was told Boy A had asked Boy B to call in for Ana and to arrange to meet in the park. She said that the reason given for this was that Boy A could tell Ana that he was not romantically interested in her. She added that Boy B said the meeting was to happen in the park as Boy A didn’t “want to be seen with her”. 

After speaking with the family of Boy B at his home, the accused and his father joined gardaí where Boy B showed officers the route he had taken with Ana to the park. 

Detective Garda Newton told the court that Boy B said Boy A would meet him and Ana in the park. He explained at one point that he asked Ana the time. The court heard Ana showed Boy B a photo on her phone which showed her tied up – Ana told Boy B it was taken at an ex-boyfriend’s house. 

Boy B then told gardaí what Ana was wearing on the day of her disappearance. The court heard that he told gardaí she was wearing black shoes and a “slutty top”.

The court also heard about Boy B’s view of the attack on Boy A in the park. Boy B told gardaí that maybe Ana had beaten him up.

The court also heard that Boy B handed over to gardaí a number of items of clothing he had worn on the day of Ana’s disappearance.

The trial continues.