Man had altercation with Sliabh Liag murder accused before being thrown off cliff

Three days before a pensioner was allegedly beaten with a rock and thrown off Ireland's highest cliffs, he had an aggressive altercation with the man accused of his murder, the defendant's brother has told the Central Criminal Court.

Bruce Vial, the brother of the accused man Alan Vial (39), also told the court on Wednesday that after the alleged murder the defendant borrowed a vacuum to clean his car and when it was returned, it was "full of gunk" which the witness assumed was "red wine vomit".

The witness told the trial that Alan Vial called to his home with his co-accused Nikita Burns (23) and the now deceased man Robert 'Robin' Wilkin (66) on June 22, 2023.

All three were living at Alan Vial's home but they had no plumbing so they came to Bruce Vial's house to use the shower and clean their clothes.

While they were there, the witness recalled "a bit of an altercation" between Alan and Mr Wilkin. 

"They were aggressive towards each other, shouting at each other," he said. Following the altercation, Mr Wilkin drove away after taking Mr Vial and Ms Burns's belongings out of the car in which the three of them had arrived.

The following Sunday afternoon, after the prosecution alleges Mr Wilkin had been beaten and thrown off a cliff at Sliabh Liag, Alan Vial and Ms Burns again called to Bruce Vial's home.

The witness said Alan wanted to clean his car and took a multi-purpose cleaning spray, Formula 1 plastic spray and two cloths from Mr Vial's utility room. Alan Vial also used his brother's vacuum cleaner but when he returned it, it was "full of gunk" which Bruce Vial assumed was "red wine vomit".

Mr Vial and Ms Burns left, having told the witness that they were going to Letterkenny.

Later that day, gardai arrived and took the vacuum cleaner away.

Ms Burns (23) of Carrick, Co Donegal and Alan Vial (39) of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, Co Donegal have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 66-year-old Robert 'Robin' Wilkin on June 25, 2023 in Donegal. 

Mr Wilkin's body was found one week later in the water below the Sliabh Liag cliffs.

Ms Burns has pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person for an arrestable offence but the prosecution did not accept her plea.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.