Derry murder trial: defendants’ mum agrees ‘something happened with knives’

The mother of two brothers charged with the murder of Karol Kelly in Derry in 2018 has told their trial that the first time she knew something had happened was when one of her sons’ friends came ‘charging through my bedroom door.’
The late Karol Kelly.The late Karol Kelly.
The late Karol Kelly.

Teresa Meehan was giving evidence to the jury of eight men and four women at Derry Crown Court, sitting in Coleraine, on Thursday about the events of March 4, 2018. She said she was in bed when the events occurred.

Brothers Gary Anderson (25) and Sean Anderson (23), both of Grafton Street, and Michael Dunlop (21), of Fern Park in Derry, all deny murdering the father of five.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dunlop is further charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Kelly and doing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice on the same date by attempting to conceal knives.

The witness said that, after she realised something had happened, she had gone downstairs.

In response to a question from Eoghan Devlin, counsel for Sean Anderson, she agreed she had ‘formed the belief something had happened with knives.’

Ms Meehan said that, when she entered the living room, she saw her son, Gary, with ‘eight snooker ball lumps on him’. The defendant Dunlop, she said, was at the kitchen sink.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Meehan said that, when she asked about the knives, Dunlop answered: ‘Don’t worry about it. I am taking care of it.’

The witness said she immediately phoned the police.

She added she was “terrified” by a crowd that had gathered outside her house, adding that she believed her sons “were going to die as well”.

Asked about the appearance of her sons at the time, Ms Meehan said they were ‘very grey.’

The trial continues.