A man accused of murdering a pensioner in her home told her daughter that either her mother or he would have to leave the house due to constant arguing between them, a court heard.
Josephine Ray (89), known as Josie, of St Joseph’s Park, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was found strangled and suffocated in her bed, on August 4th 2024, the Central Criminal Court in Limerick has heard.
Hasan Ali Gori (52), originally from Chad, Africa, and with an address at St Joseph’s Park, Nenagh, has pleaded “not guilty” to murdering Ray.
At the time, Ali Gori was living in Josie Ray’s home, as he was in a relationship with her daughter, Mary Ray, who it was heard has an intellectual disability.
On Thursday, Mark McGee, a neighbour of Josie and Mary Ray, told the accused’s trial that he “clearly” overheard Ali Gori and Mary Ray talking to one another outside Josie Ray’s house on the night before she died.
McGee told the court that Ali Gori told Mary Ray that “either he had to go or Josie had to leave the house and go”.
Ali Gori told Mary Ray “that he was sick of it” and couldn’t take it any more, he said.
McGee said he walked away then because, he said, Mary Ray noticed him and “whispered” something to Ali Gori.
McGee said that earlier that afternoon he heard “shouting” coming from Josie Ray’s home, and he saw Mary Ray, Ali Gori and Josie Ray arguing with one another outside the front of the property.
McGee said he heard Mary Ray accusing Ali Gori of cheating on her, and Josie Ray was “banging” and “tapping” her walking stick on the ground.
McGee said Josie Ray told Mary Ray and the accused, “I’m tired of ye”, and gardaí arrived to calm the situation.
Ian Donnellan, another of the victim’s neighbours, gave evidence that the accused, Mary Ray and Jose Ray argued with one another “every day”.
“It was angry, volatile, every day,” said Donnellan.
The witness said he contacted gardaí on July 21st, 2024, about two weeks before Josie Ray’s death, to report a row taking place at Ray’s home.
Donnellan told the court he saw Josie that day with a “red mark” on the right side of her face, and that she was “distressed and afraid”.
The witness said he recorded a Snapchat video of the sounds of shouting and roaring coming from Josie’s house on the day before her death and he called the gardaí.
Donnellan said that, at this point, his wife asked the accused to stop shouting as he was “scaring” local children.
The recording was played to the court in which a male voice was heard in the footage shouting “f**k off, f**k off” and the sound of a child becoming distressed.
Donnellan said he recognised the male voice as being the accused.
Ian Donnellan’s sister, Gemma Donnellan, gave evidence Thursday of being one of a group of neighbours that gathered outside Josie Ray’s house after her body was discovered inside the property.
Donnellan told the court she asked Mary Ray what had happened “and she [Mary] said nothing really”.
Donnellan said that it appeared to her that Ali Gori had not wanted Mary “talking to anyone” at the scene.
“Mary was crying, and he [the accused] kept telling her to shut up and to calm down.”
Donnellan said the accused told Mary that Josie was “old and was going to die anyway” and that he “kept walking towards [Mary] to bring her away from us”.
The prosecution case, led by Lorcan Connolly, is that Ali Gori strangled and suffocated Josie Ray.
The trial continues before Judge Sean Gillane and a jury.