Trial hears geologist used Google Street View to help identify possible source of murder weapon

A geologist has told a murder trial that she used Google Street View to help identify the possible source of a bloodied rock that was allegedly used to fracture a pensioner’s skull before his body went over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in Donegal.

Dr Sophie O’Connor told the court that a rock, which showed a “strong similarity” to the alleged murder weapon, was visible in a wall on Street View in 2021 but was missing from the alleged scene of the assault in 2023.

She also told the trial it is “highly unlikely” that the bloodied rock found by gardaí came from the Sliabh Liag cliffs area.

The rock, which the Central Criminal Court previously heard contained blood and hairs with DNA matching the deceased man Robert ‘Robin’ Wilkin, was found by gardai near a viewing point at the top of the spectacular cliffs.

The prosecution alleges that Alan Vial (39) and Nikita Burns (23) assaulted Mr Wilkin as part of a joint enterprise to cause him serious harm before putting his body over the cliff…

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