A BOY ACCUSED of murdering and sexually assaulting Ana Kriegel said “Are you joking me?” and “Are you actually being serious?” when it was put to him that Ana’s blood was found on his boots.

The court heard today from John Hoade who said he studied the boots which were handed over to Forensic Science Ireland. Hoade said he examined a number of separate areas of blood staining on the soles and upper ends of the boots and found nine separate aras where blood was present.

He told the court that the blood found on these boots matched that of Ana Kriegel.

Two boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, have pleaded not guilty to the 14-year-old girl’s murder. Boy A has also been charged with aggravated sexual assault – a charge he also denies. Both boys were 13 years old at the time of the alleged offences.

Ana’s body was discovered in a disused house three days after she disappeared in May last year. 

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.

Interviews

The court this afternoon heard details of interviews conducted by gardaí with Boy A shortly after his arrest on 24 May – a week after the 14-year-old’s body was discovered at a derelict farmhouse. 

Boy A took part in a total of six interviews with gardaí after his arrest on 24 May under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. His solicitor and father were present for all interviews. 

At one point during interview, Detective Garda Tomás Doyle told Boy A that his boots had been forensically examined and that they had been found to contain Ana’s blood on them. 

Responding to the garda, Boy A said: “Are you joking me?” The garda informed him he was not, to which Boy A added: “Are you actually being serious?” Boy A was told by gardaí that they would not joke about something of this nature. The garda told Boy A that this particular piece of evidence was “significant and serious”.

Boy A was then asked if he understood the seriousness of the situation. He said he was aware. 

The court heard that Boy A was shown a number of CCTV stills and videos during these interviews.

Going through the interview transcript in court this afternoon, Detective Garda Doyle told the court that Boy A said he was in the company of Ana on the day of her disappearance. He said that he was not in her company later that evening, when she was officially reported missing. 

Detective Garda Doyle showed Boy A CCTV evidence. Boy A confirmed that he saw himself and Boy B walking through a housing estate earlier that afternoon. Boy A told gardaí he was wearing a white strapping on his wrist as he had sprained it a number of weeks previously. 

‘Good news’

Doyle then showed him more CCTV, which featured two males. The garda witness said Boy A told him that they “looked like the lads who beat” him up. 

After viewing another still, Boy A told gardaí: “I think this might be good news,” adding that he believed the image to be that of one of the men who allegedly attacked him in the park on the day of Ana’s disappearance. 

In a separate part of the interview that day, Detective Garda Tomás Doyle asked Boy A what he liked to do for a hobby. He told gardaí he liked to draw, and was specifically interested in drawing anatomy.

During the third installment of the interview, the court heard how Boy A was shown a number of photos from the scene where Ana’s body was found. 

The court heard he was shown a picture of builders tape. He was asked if he had ever had a tape such as that in his possession. He said he had not. 

Boy A was also shown a picture of a black hoodie and was asked if he recognised it. He said he thought so and that Ana was wearing something similar to it on the day she disappeared. 

The garda told Boy A that it was their position that the figure the accused identified as being his possible attacker was in fact Boy A. Detective Garda Doyle told the court that he said: “We believe that is you in the footage and it shows the routes you told gardaí you took were not correct.” Boy A denied it was him. 

Detective Garda Doyle put it to Boy A that the only way he could have gotten Ana’s blood on his shoes was if he was in the room at the time. Boy A denied being there. 

Previous blood evidence

Forensic expert John Hoade showed the court the various locations he found blood on Boy A’s boots. He said there was staining and spatter to be found along a number of areas of each boot. He said there was also blood staining on the heel of the right boot.

Hoade, in his testimony, told the court that he believes the blood evidence indicates that “Boy A either assaulted Ana Kriegel or was very close to her when she was assaulted”.

Hoade also told the court that he examined a piece of wood which was also blood stained.

He said, through his analysis, that he found Ana’s blood on a number of sections of the item. There was no other evidence of anyone else’s DNA. The court heard that the section of wood also had a nail protruding from one of its ends.

The court also heard evidence from Detective Garda Marcus Roantree. He told the court that Boy A and his family were invited to attend a garda station on 24 May, a week after Ana’s body was found, where he was to be arrested. His fingerprints, palm prints and his DNA were taken. 

Yesterday, the court heard from Detective Garda Gabriel Newton who had interactions with both Boy A and Boy B during investigations. She was initially dealing with the alleged assault suffered by Boy A in the park on the day of Ana’s disappearance.

Newton said she requested the clothing Boy A was wearing and said it was important she did so as there could be traces of the attackers’ DNA which could have been transferred to his clothing during the assault.

The court was then shown the clothes Boy A had been wearing on the day. His iPhone was also taken as evidence.

Detective Garda Newton said she also called to the home of Boy B a number of hours after Ana’s body was found. She had arranged this meeting prior to the discovery of Ana’s body.

The clothes worn by Boy B on the day were also handed over with the permission of his parents.

The trial continues.