Scene of Faulkner attack was like 'an apocalyptic movie'

A witness has told the Scarlett Faulkner murder trial that the scene of an attack at Birdhill last March was like something from "an apocalyptic movie".

Bruan Whelan was giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial of a 41-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl who both deny the murder charge.

The teenager has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Mr Whelan was driving near the scene on 21 March last, when he came across what he first thought was a traffic jam.

He said he then saw a man standing on the roof of a van and as he got closer it was "like a scene from an apocalyptic movie, there were bits of cars on the road and women shouting".

"I saw a lady on the ground I did not know if she had been knocked down," he said.

Mr Whelan said there were a number of cars pulled in to the side of the road so he did not think there was a need for another car to pull in.

"In hindsight I'm sorry I did not pull in, but there wasn't anything actually taking place as I drove by."

He said he then rang 999.

'Very violent force'

Claire O'Byrne was driving near the scene with her sister when she saw a girl lying on the ground. She said another girl had a metal pole and was holding it above her head and then hitting the woman on the ground.

She counted six to eight blows with "very violent force" directed towards the head. She said the girl on the ground was not defending herself.

Her sister Trudy told the court the person with the metal object was using "absolute force" adding, "we had the windows down and music playing in the car and could hear it".

She said the metal object was striking the girl's head. She said another girl was holding a phone and might have been filming. Two boys near the scene were "nonchalant" and looking at their phones, she said.

Gardaí and ambulance personnel also gave evidence about the medical treatment given to Scarlett Faulkner at the scene.

Paramedic Brid Malone said the ambulance was dispatched and they had to wait for the scene to be declared safe before proceeding.

Her colleague Frank Malone spoke to the off-duty doctor who was tending to Ms Faulkner at the scene who told him she had a significant head injury.

He said Ms Faulkner's hair and head was matted with blood and she was placed on a stretcher and given pain relief in the ambulance before being airlifted to University Hospital Limerick.

Armed response unit members who arrived at the scene before the ambulances also had medical equipment which was used to assist Ms Faulkner's breathing, the jury was told.

Scarlett Faulkner died on 13 April last after an incident at Birdhill in Co Tipperary on 21 March last.

The 17-year-old accused, who cannot be identified because she is a minor, has pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter.

Her 41-year-old co-accused pleaded not guilty to murder. She also pleaded not guilty to burglary, entering a building as a trespasser and causing criminal damage at an address in Co Tipperary on 20 March.

She pleaded not guilty to a third charge of burglary and committing assault causing harm, at an address in Limerick on 21 March.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo and a jury.