A man on trial for the murder of Robert Wilkin in Co Donegal has admitted lying to Gardaí following his arrest - but insists he did not kill the 66-year-old.

After taking the stand in his own defence, Alan Vial, of Drumanoo, Killybegs, blamed his co-accused - Nikita Burns of Carrick, County Donegal.

It is the prosecution’s case that after beating Mr Wilkin with a rock, Mr Vial and Ms Burns threw him off the cliffs at Sliabh Ligh.

Earlier in the trial, a witness told the jury that Ms Burns told her over the phone that she and Mr Vial had, “bashed some man’s head in.”

During the secretly recorded call, Ms Burns could be heard telling her that Mr Vial, “dragged him out of the back seat and started caving his head in.“

Yesterday, Mr Vial told the jury that Ms Burns, with whom he was in a sexual relationship with at the time, hit Mr Wilkin on the back of the head.

Today, he told her barrister that he clearly remembered two blows to the back of his head, and that they came up with a story afterwards to explain all the blood.

It was put to him that he lied to Gardaí about times and what he was wearing that night because he was the one who murdered Mr Wilkin.

He denied that was the case.

Main image: Main entrance to the Criminal Courts of Justice. Picture  by: Alamy.com