Murder accused woman admits she lied during her police interviews

Shaunean Boyle admitted that one lie she told police concerned events which occurred after 40-year old Owen Creaney died and was placed in a green wheelie bin.

Both 25-year old Boyle, from Edenderry Park in Banbridge, and 29-year old co-accused Stephen Hughes, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, are standing trial for the murder of Mr Creaney, who was subjected to a brutal beating in Hughes’s Moyravety Court home in Craigavon in July 2014.

Following the beating an unconsicious Mr Creaney - who wet himself - was showered, put in a change of clothes and placed on an sofa in an upstairs bedroom, where he lay for two days before passing away.

His remains were then placed into a green wheelie bin which was brought from the rear of the house up to the bedroom.

Boyle and Hughes have admitted being in the house when Mr Creaney was attacked, but have both blamed the other for administering the fatal beating and have each denied the murder charge.

The jury at Belfast Crown Court heard Boyle admit that she told several lies to police following her arrest - one of which concerned whether or not she helped Hughes bring the wheelie bin down the stairs.

Boyle initially told police that she hadn’t - but under cross-examination today she admitted that she had in fact helped Hughes bring the bin down the stairs “after three steps.”

She was accused of telling this, and other “whopping lies”, to both the police and the jury.

Boyle told the court she did lie during police interview, but said she was “confused and emotional.”

She also said that at the time she was “petrified” as she had been arrested for “the worst charge you could be charged with.”

From the witness box, Boyle said: “I have admitted to lying in the police station. I am not proud of lying either, I’m disgusted at myself for lying.”

Refuting claims that it was she and not Hughes who assaulted Mr Creaney which resulted in his death, the mother of one said: “I am no angel in this here, but I never assaulted Owen.”

She also said “there’s not a day goes by when I don’t think of Owen and what happened to Owen.”

At hearing