CCTV footage of a mother-of-three's final moments walking home from a night out, just before she was stabbed to death in her west Belfast home, was played to a jury yesterday.
As a trial into the murder of 30-year old Jennifer Dornan commenced at Belfast Crown Court, the jury of six men and six women were also shown footage of a man, whose face was covered with a jacket, following her home.
The Crown says this man was Raymond O'Neill, from Amcomri Street in Belfast, who has been charged with, and denies, murdering Ms Dornan.
The prosecution alleges that after being in her company just before her death, O'Neill followed her to her Hazel View home in Lagmore and that once inside, he stabbed her then started a fire to destroy forensic evidence.
As well as denying murder, the 41-year old accused has also denied a charge of arson with intent to endanger life, as by setting fire to Ms Dornan's house, he is accused of endangered the lives of seven occupants living in neighbouring properties.
Opening the Crown's case to the jury, prosecuting QC Kieran Murphy revealed that O'Neill and Ms Dornan were in each other's company at around 9.30pm on Saturday August 1, 2015 when Ms Dornan was picked up by a friend before they headed out for the night.
O'Neill was a passenger in the car that picked Ms Dornan up, and whilst she and her friend then went to the Devenish Arms, O'Neill remained at a house in Lagmore Avenue with his friend.
Ms Dornan and her friend arrived back at Lagmore Avenue at around 1.30am on Sunday August 2, and after a few drinks, Ms Dornan left and began the short walk to her house.
A short time later - just before 3am - O'Neill also left, and it's the Crown case that O'Neill followed her home covered his face with his cream-coloured coat to avoid a security camera at a neighbour's house.
Mr Murphy said: "The precise events are unknown, but the prosecution say that in her bedroom he stabbed her to death by stabbing her in the chest and that after she had died, he set the house on fire to destroy the evidence."
The senior prosecutor added that after leaving her Hazel View home, it's the Crown's case that O'Neill then walked along Lagmore View before dumping the murder weapon in the back garden of a house on White Glen.
A neighbour alerted emergency services to the blaze after smelling smoke.
Mr Murphy said that when firefighters searched the house, they became aware of a "badly burned body" lying on the bedroom floor which had been partially covered in debris from the burning building.
Ms Dornan was identified through dental records, and a post mortem carried out on August 3 confirmed she died from three stab wounds to her chest. Further analysis of carbon monoxide levels in her blood indicated she 'was not alive and breathing after the fire had started.'
Mr Murphy told the jury that in the direct aftermath of the killing, O'Neill was captured on CCTV at several locations in the area.
The prosecution alleges that O'Neill subsequently "left the country" during the investigation into the murder and was arrested in Bundoran in Co Donegal on August 7 by a Guard who recognised he matched the description of a man wanted by the PSNI.
At hearing.
