Laura Marshall’s partner tells inquest he does not know anything about her death

The partner of Laura Marshall has told an inquest he “definitely” did not have anything to do with her death.

Gary O’Dowd also told the hearing in Belfast that he did not know how the dental nurse died, but said they had had a “volatile” relationship.

Ms Marshall’s bruised body was found partially submerged in bath water at her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh, on April 3 2016.

Her partner Mr O’Dowd was initially charged with her murder, but the charge was withdrawn by prosecutors two years later.

Coroner Louisa Fee is currently presiding over an inquest for the 31-year-old.

The inquest has already heard that pathology experts differ on the cause of death.

It has also heard evidence that Ms Marshall had told a family member that Mr O’Dowd had threatened to kill her, and had subjected her to regular beatings.

When Mr O’Dowd was called as a witness on Tuesday, coroner Ms Fee advised him he did not have to answer any question which might incriminate himself.

Barrister for the coroner, David McDowell KC began: “Mr O’Dowd, can I ask you, had you anything to do with the death of Laura Marshall?

He said: “Definitely not.”

The barrister asked: “Do you know anything about how she met her death?”

Mr O’Dowd said: “Definitely not.”

Mr McDowell continued: “I wanted to ask you where you were on the 31st of March (2016), do you recall?”

Mr O’Dowd said he had been at his mother’s house all day. He said the following day he had gone into Lurgan.

Mr McDowell asked: “Between the Thursday and the Friday, a woman said that he she heard you and Laura arguing at about one o’clock in the morning, is that right?”

The witness said: “No, definitely not.”

Mr O’Dowd was asked about damage to the door of the bathroom in which Ms Marshall was found, but he said he had no knowledge of it.

Mr McDowell asked: “Did you assault Laura Marshall on the 30th of August, 2015, the year before?”

Mr O’Dowd said: “No.”

He also denied that he had threatened his partner with a knife.

Mr McDowell asked: “Did you threaten to kill her?”

The witness said: “No.”

The barrister said: “Did you grab her by the throat and pull her hair?”

He responded: “No.”

Mr McDowell asked the witness if he accepted he had a “volatile relationship with Laura Marshall”.

He said: “Yeah.”

Mr O’Dowd was asked if he was aware that there had been an entrance to the rear of the apartment block where Ms Marshall lived which could be accessed.

He said he could not answer the question.

He was asked if he knew the fire escape was open for smokers. He said he could not answer.

The witness was then shown a mobile phone log of calls and messages between Ms Marshall and Mr O’Dowd.

The hearing was told there had been a long exchange of texts and calls between the two on March 31, 2016.

Mr O’Dowd told the hearing that he had called or texted on several occasions because he wanted to know if Ms Marshall was pregnant.

Mr McDowell said the last phone contact was on the morning of April 1, two days before Ms Marshall’s body was found.

He said: “Why didn’t you contact her again on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of April?”

Mr O’Dowd said he had been waiting for Ms Marshall to get back to him.

The barrister said: “Did you believe she was dead?”

The witness said: “No, I didn’t.”

Mr O’Dowd was then questioned by barrister Andrew Moriarty, who represents Ms Marshall’s family.

He asked: “Did you love Laura?”

Mr O’Dowd said: “Yeah.”

The barrister continued: “Did she love you?”

The witness said: “I don’t know.”

Mr O’Dowd said marriage had never been spoken about between the couple.

Referring to an incident where Mr O’Dowd had bought a jumper for Ms Marshall, the barrister asked: “As that how this relationship worked, seesaw?

“She gets verbal abuse. Sometimes she gets physical abuse, and then you maybe buy her a gift or two, keep her on side?”

He responded: “Definitely not, no.”

Mr Moriarty added: “Do you think you might have wrecked her head?”

The witness said: “No, I didn’t wreck her head.”

The barrister continued: “Do you think you were emotionally cruel? Do you think you coercively controlled her?”

He said: “No.”

Mr Moriarty referred to earlier evidence in the inquest where a witness had said Ms Marshall had been treated in hospital after being scalded.

The barrister asked: “Is there any comment you wish to make about one human being scalding another human being?”

He said: “No.”

Mr Moriarty asked: “Did you scald Ms Marshall?”

The witness said he did not.

The inquest continues.