‘I did not murder Santina Cawley’ – accused Karen Harrington takes to face in Cork trial

MURDER accused Karen Harrington (38) supplied sworn proof in her personal defence as she insisted at her trial she didn’t kill or injure Cork toddler Santina Cawley (2).

he defendant took the stand because the prosecution case closed within the homicide trial which has been underway for 3 weeks in Cork.

“That I didn’t homicide Santina Cawley,” Karen Harrington insisted from the witness field.

“I am unable to reply that (who killed the kid). I’m not sure to say,” she advised defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC.

Harrington of Lakelands Crescent, Mahon, Cork has pleaded not responsible to the homicide of Santina at a Central Criminal Court trial earlier than Mr Justice Michael MacGrath and a jury of seven males and 4 girls.

Santina was discovered mendacity bare on a dirty blanket with crucial accidents at 26 Elderwood Park off the Boreenamanna Road in Cork metropolis at 5am on July 5 2019.

Karen Harrington lived within the flat on the time.
The little lady was found badly injured when her father, Michael Cawley (37), returned to his then-girlfriend’s flat having left the property two hours earlier at 3am to stroll alone into Cork metropolis centre in a bid to find his Limerick cousin.

Mr Cawley, who was separated from his spouse, Bridget, who was Santina’s mom, had left his daughter within the care of the defendant at her residence for over two hours that night time whereas he walked to Cork metropolis centre.
Despite determined efforts by medical doctors and paramedics to stabilise the situation of the little lady, she was pronounced lifeless a short while after being rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH).
A submit mortem examination was carried out at CUH which discovered Santina had sustained poly trauma and “devastating accidents with no probability of restoration” together with a fractured cranium, a traumatic mind damage and a extreme spinal damage.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster – who has carried out over 16,000 submit mortem examinations all through her profession – stated she “completely” believed the accidents concerned had been non-accidental.

Santina had fractures to her cranium, arm humerus, leg femur and ribs.

Virtually each a part of the kid’s physique displayed bruises and abrasions.

The complicated fracture to her cranium had displaced a complete 10cm portion of the cranium bone.

Dr Bolster stated it was extra probably that Santina was forcibly struck towards one thing fairly than being struck with one thing.

In sworn proof in the present day which lasted nearly quarter-hour, Karen Harrington insisted she didn’t know the way the kid suffered such deadly accidents.

“I’m not escaping something,” she stated in cross-examination with Sean Gillane SC, for the State.

“I do not know precisely what occurred in that time frame.”

“It just isn’t all clean…there are components of the night time I do recall. As regards what occurred to Santina and her accidents, I am unable to give an in depth account.”

Mr Gillane put it to the defendant that she had inflicted the horrific accidents on the kid.

He challenged her to assist remedy the thriller over what had occurred to the little lady.

“I didn’t inflict accidents on Santina Cawley,” she replied.

Mr Gillane put it to her that she was the one individual within the residence with Santina between simply after 3am and minutes after 5am when the kid was found in a crucial situation.

“I settle for that I didn’t do that to Santina,” she stated.

Karen Harrington was requested who did inflict the accidents on Santina?

“It just isn’t for me…I’m not able to reply. I do not know.”

“I settle for that Santina did didn’t do it. I’m not making an attempt to say something.”

She pressured that she was not mocking or taunting the kid that night time – and challenged the proof of a neighbour who stated they heard a crying youngster being taunted within the residence.

When requested about being the one individual within the flat with Santina throughout all the time interval concerned, the witness challenged the assertion.

“I might disagree with that – I’ve considered that over the previous three years.”

“(But) I settle for that me and Santina had been alone for a time frame in my residence.”

Karen Harrington insisted she didn’t discover any accidents on Santina till she was awoken from her sleep by Michael Cawley who arrived again at her flat after 5am having walked again from Cork metropolis.

“I did not myself (notify accidents earlier than being awoken at 5am). I can recall again. I do not envision any bruises or blood or something like that.”

“I do not know something about them.”

Sean Gillane SC, for the State, additionally learn statements to the jury on the eleventh day of the trial which had been taken by Gardai from two youngsters on the sprawling Elderwood property.

One teen stated they overheard the sound of a loud dispute between a girl (Karen Harrington) and Michael Cawley, father of Santina Cawley.

The teen stated that Karen Harrington was loudly crying due to issues stated to her by Mr Cawley within the early hours of July 5 2019

The witness advised Gardai that Mr Cawley had referred to as Karen Harrington “a bitch,” “a c***” and “a prostitute” and advised her to “return to your Pakis.”

Karen Harrington was crying loudly and was strolling again to her residence within the complicated.

“She was crying due to the issues Michael Cawley had referred to as her.”

The witness stated Karen Harrington was adamant Mr Cawley needed to take care of Santina.

“(She stated) she is your youngster – she is nothing to do with me.”

Another teen was awoken by the sound of screaming and roaring on the complicated round 1.30am.

The witness stated she noticed one feminine “shouting at a girl operating down the highway.”

The teen stated she recognised the feminine however didn’t know the opposite lady.

The trial beforehand heard that Karen Harrington was arrested on July 8 2019 at an deal with in Blackrock and brought to Gurranabraher Garda Station for questioning.

She gave a complete of 5 interviews to Gardai between July 8 and 9 after her arrest.

The accused wept repeatedly throughout her fifth and last interview as Gardai confirmed her images of the blood-spattered Elderwood residence and stated all of the proof was portray an image of what had occurred.

“I do know…(however) I’ve no clarification. There is nothing coming to my thoughts. A murdered youngster…Jesus Christ.”

“I can see the place it’s all resulting in however I do not know.”

“Oh Jesus Christ – it’s making out like I did it. But I might not hurt a baby. I’ve by no means killed anybody,” she stated.

“I might by no means, ever hurt no child. I might hurt no youngster – I’m round youngsters all my life. I’ve by no means damage a baby in my life.”

“I didn’t homicide Santina. I did not homicide anyone. I’ve no recollection – I might not damage her.”

“Oh God, I actually do not know. Oh f***ing hell. Jesus Christ. I’ve nothing, no clarification. Oh God, I am unable to clarify it. There is nothing coming to my thoughts in any respect. Jesus Christ.”

The defendant sobbed as she insisted to Gardai she didn’t hurt the kid.

“I might not damage a baby, like. That is 100pc true (she insisted she had soothed and settled Santina to mattress after Michael Cawley left the residence). I fell asleep myself – it’s true.”

Inspector David Callaghan stated that in her last Garda interview Harrington was requested about what had occurred to the defenceless youngster as numerous Garda proof was put to her.

Det Garda David Noonan stated Gardai had been following the proof and wished the reality over what occurred to Santina.

“A two yr previous youngster…a defenceless youngster…(was) murdered in your deal with,” he stated.

“Our investigation follows the proof and there’s no stone left unturned. The proof paints an image,” he advised the defendant.

Det Garda Noonan pointed to numerous scene images throughout the interview.

“Blood…blood…blood – in my kitchen, my residence,” the defendant stated.

“(Was it) mine? I minimize my foot. These footage are making me, like, sick.”

Gardai stated they solely wished the reality about what had occurred to Santina that night time.

“I really feel sick – I am unable to clarify. I’m going mad (on the audio recording of a girl screaming within the early hours of July 5.) I’ve no reminiscence of that. Holy Jesus Christ.”

She stated the proof proven to her by Gardai hinted that she had gone mad.

“This all says to me that I went mad. I do not know. Oh Jesus Christ.”

The defendant was adamant she by no means taunted and harmed a defenceless youngster – and moaned audibly throughout the interview as she considered scene images and pictures of the accidents suffered by Santina.

“I wasn’t taunting the kid…I didn’t taunt no-one. I put her on the blanket (to fall asleep) at one or two levels. I had no motive to taunt a baby.”

“No means…I didn’t homicide Santina.”

“I do not know – trustworthy to God I do not know the way to hurt a baby. I am unable to clarify something. It just isn’t that I will not (bear in mind) – I am unable to. I actually do not know.”

She insisted she had no recollection of some components of the early hours of July 5.

“I am unable to clarify that night time – trustworthy to God I might if I might.”

Gardai requested the defendant about blood discovered on a floral-designed leggings positioned in an residence bed room.

“I do not know – I’ve no reminiscence of it in any respect, in any respect, in any respect. Was it my blood? Jesus Christ like – I’m going to be sick. Jesus Christ like.”

The defendant additionally stated she felt unwell when requested about clumps of Santina’s hair being positioned on the ground and sofa of the residence.

“Jesus Christ – I’m going to be sick.”

Det Garda Noonan stated the defendant was the one individual within the residence with Santina after 3am when Michael Cawley walked into Cork metropolis.

“Michael Cawley was not there. We have him on CCTV in Cork metropolis. You had been the one individual within the residence. You had Santina final and she or he was alive then,” he stated.

He challenged the defendant as to how Santina sustained her devastating accidents.

The defendant repeatedly sobbed as she stated she didn’t hurt Santina.

“Oh Jesus – I did not damage (the) youngster. I swear…trustworthy to God. No (reminiscence of it) in any respect, in any respect.”

Inspector Noonan, in cross-examination with Brendan Grehan SC, for the defence, confirmed that Karen Harrington “doesn’t have a historical past of violence.”

He additionally acknowledged that whereas Gardai formally put it to her that the proof pointed to her, she didn’t budge from her basic place that she by no means harmed anybody and could not bear in mind components of July 5.

The jury had been additionally learn particulars of statements Karen Harrington gave to Gardai on July 5.

Harrington voluntarily agreed to go to the Bridewell Garda Station within the hours after Santina was discovered critically injured on July 5.

At the station, she requested Det Sergeant Clodagh O’Sullivan how Santina was?

“I knowledgeable her that Santina had handed away – she stated she felt sick.”

The trial was advised Harrington voluntarily gave her clothes to Gardai for testing and in addition agreed to produce blood, finger-nail and swab samples.

The trial, which is predicted to final for 4 weeks, continues.