Pat Ward: Trial begins of woman accused of murder

A woman has gone on trial accused of murdering a man in County Tyrone four years ago.

Karen McDonald, 37, who lived in McCrea Park in Clogher, is accused of the murder of 30-year-old Pat Ward.

The father-of-four, who was originally from Sligo in the Republic of Ireland, was found in an alleyway on 9 February 2019.

The jury was told Ms McDonald's former partner Niall Cox, 27, has pleaded guilty to the murder.

A prosecution lawyer described the timeline of events which were captured on CCTV and will be shown to the jury.

Mr Ward bought alcohol in an off-licence with Ms McDonald and Mr Cox before returning to the couple's home in McCrea Park.

A camera on a neighbour's property recorded his wife Ellen Ward arriving at 04:45, looking for her husband.

She was allegedly verbally abused by Ms McDonald, who claimed he had left in a taxi to Enniskillen in County Fermanagh.

Two hours later the camera recorded two people moving Mr Ward's body out of the house.

While Mr Cox was dragging the body, the prosecution alleges that Ms McDonald was holding Mr Ward's legs for a few seconds before dropping them.

"We say that for a short distance that's her aiding, abetting and supporting Mr Cox in removing him from the house," said the lawyer.

The trial will hear evidence from a pathologist that Mr Ward was still alive as he was dragged by Mr Cox into the alleyway.

Pat Ward had suffered a brain haemorrhage after being hit forcefully by a wooden or metal object. He also had knife wounds.

The pathologist will tell the jury that the head injuries meant he would only have survived for about half an hour.

Police were called after Mr Ward's partially-clothed body was discovered by a couple walking to work.

Other items of his clothing, including his top and trainers, were discovered in a field behind the couple's house.

Inside the house police found a machete, a barbell weight and a pick axe.

The lawyer told the jury: "We can't say exactly what happened [in the house] that Saturday morning.

"The only person who can say what happened is the accused Ms McDonald."

The trial at Dungannon Crown Court continues.