Man arrested on suspicion of murdering mother-of-three Patterson

GARDAÍ arrested a 32-year-old man last night in relation to the murder of a young mother of three in West Cork last week.

A team of detectives arrested the man in Cork city just after 5pm on suspicion of murdering Rosarie (Rose) Patterson, aged 30, from the Park View estate in Clonakilty.

He was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows gardaí question suspects for up to 24 hours, and was brought immediately to Clonakilty Garda Station where detectives began to question him last night. He remained in the station overnight.

Ms Patterson’s body was found lying in a pool of blood in a flat above the For Fir barber shop at 10 Connolly Street, close to Clonakilty town centre, just before midday last Thursday.

She had suffered a number of stab wounds to her upper body and may have died as early as 2am or 3am that morning.

Gardaí launched a murder inquiry on Friday afternoon after a post-mortem examination conducted by assistant State pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, confirmed that Ms Patterson had died a violent death.

Ms Patterson’s ex-partner, and father of her youngest child worked in the barber shop and was found unconscious in the flat at the same time.

He was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for treatment for what are believed to have been self-inflicted wounds to his wrists and neck.

He underwent surgery on Sunday afternoon and was discharged from CUH yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Ms Patterson’s three children, Naomi, aged eight, Veronica, aged five, and her son Firhan, aged 18 months, were still being cared for by close family and friends yesterday.