Woman accused of murdering Pat Ward told police her 'heart went out' to his family

The woman accused of murdering Pat Ward told police her 'heart went out' to his family.

Despite making no comment replies to all questions over the course of 18 interviews, Karen Marie McDonald (37) of McCrea Park in Clogher, went on to tell police: “My heart goes out to that family.

"I did not murder anybody and I did not assist in murdering anybody. I didn’t assault anybody.”

The disclosure came as the jury at Dungannon Crown Court heard details of police interviews with McDonald, who denies murdering Mr Ward in Clogher on 9 February 2019.

Her partner Niall Cox (27) of the same address who initially also denied the charge, has since pleaded guilty.

The victim, a 30-year-old father of four, suffered severe head trauma and stab wounds.

His lifeless body was abandoned half-naked in an alleyway having been dragged from the scene of a brutal attack.

Pathologist Professor Jack Crane, who carried out a post-mortem on Mr Ward found: "There was extensive blood loss which, combined with the head and chest injuries were responsible for rapid but not immediate death.”

Some of those who had been socialising with the victim the night before, spoke of him being in good form and enjoying the company.

As the night wore on, Mr Ward would make his way to McDonald and Cox’s house, while the others went home.

At some point after that he was brutally attacked and trailed from the scene, across a road and abandoned.

The following morning, a neighbour described receiving a call to say there was a dead body in the alleyway.

He went to the scene and observed Mr Ward’s body lying on the ground and, “I could tell he was dead … His boxer shorts were round his knees. Another neighbour placed a sheet over Pat to give him privacy.”

An ambulance crew and police arrived and asked those present to leave.

On returning to his home, the neighbour observed Mr Ward’s distraught widow, who had just been informed of his death.

Later that day a male who lived in the area approached the neighbour and claimed to have CCTV footage of Mr Ward being dragged from McDonald’s house to the alleyway.

The neighbour told him to give this to police, but the male refused as: “He didn’t want to get involved.”

The sickening footage would later emerge on social media causing shock and distress, particularly for Mr Ward’s family.

The male who had it was subsequently arrested for withholding information.

Meanwhile, police searches of the area recovered Mr Ward’s bloodstained Manchester United shirt, black hooded top and trainers inside a plastic bag, dumped in a field and noted to be wet.

Further bloodied clothing was found in McDonald’s home, some of which was in the washing machine.

A number of items seized by police and sent for forensic examination included a machete, pickaxe, hatchet, wooden shaft, barbell and a kitchen knife.

A forensic scientist explained samples were taken of multiple areas of bloodstaining throughput McDonald’s home and when analysed the majority were attributable to Mr Ward’s DNA profile.

However links to both Cox and McDonald were also found in the kitchen and living room.

A mop and bucket discovered in the bath contained DNA attributable to Mr Ward and there was evidence consistent with the floor being cleaned.

The trial resumes on Monday.

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