A BOY ACCUSED of murdering Ana Kriegel told his school’s guidance counsellor that he felt that he was “dragged in” to this “mess” by Boy A, a court has heard. 

Boy B spoke with a guidance counsellor after Ana went missing. The meeting was arranged by his school to check in on him after the 14-year-old’s disappearance.

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.

The counsellor said that during the meeting with Boy B, he told her that he had been with the gardaí a number of times and that he found the questioning difficult. She said he used the word “interrogated” on at least one occasion. 

The counsellor said Boy B appeared very calm and was very articulate. She asked him if he and Boy A were close friends. He said he was friends with Boy A but he wasn’t part of his core circle of friends. 

The court heard that Boy B said Boy A had asked him to call to Ana’s house and that the idea was that they were going to the park because Ana was romantically interested in Boy A and that this issue was to be discussed when they met. The counsellor described how Boy B described calling over to Ana’s house as doing “a good turn for a mate”.

The counsellor said the two spoke about injuries Boy A had sustained after an alleged assault by two men in the park on the day of Ana’s disappearance. 

The school counsellor said Boy B emphasised around “10 times” that he was not the last person to see Ana. He said he called in for Ana and then left after they met up with Boy A in the park. She said she was impressed by how articulate he was and that he was a “very polite boy, he looked me straight in the eye and seemed very calm”. 

The school counsellor told the court that she had asked if other students were making comments to Boy B at lunch time or on social media. He said that some had said things to him and that he “found it tough” at break time. Boy B told her that he had no online accounts – something the counsellor said she was surprised by due to the number of children she sees in school who have access to the internet. 

As the conversation continued, the counsellor said Boy B was “very articulate and calm” and that he said “he felt he was dragged into this situation… into this mess”.

The counsellor said she did not press him on what the mess was as she felt it was not her role to investigate and she was there to support the student.

As the counsellor and Boy B were finishing their conversation, they spoke about Ana once more. 

Boy B told her a theory about what might have happened to her, the court heard. The counsellor said Boy B suggested that “perhaps the men who had attacked Boy A may  have taken or kidnapped Ana”. 

Fingerprint expert

Earlier this afternoon, the court heard from fingerprint expert Detective Garda Melissa Lyons who took a number of items which were checked for potential evidence. 

Detective Garda Seamus O’Donnell, a ballistics expert from the Garda Technical Bureau, also attended the alleged murder scene at Glenwood House over the course of a number of days, the court heard. 

He said that it was his opinion that, from the evidence, Ana had died as a result of a violent assault. 

He also said it was his opinion that the most of the assault took place at the entrance to the room as there was blood evidence and a blood-covered concrete block nearby.

Detective Garda O’Donnell added that he believed Ana either moved or her body was dragged to the back of the room where it was later discovered.

The trial continues.