Scissor Sisters’ mother faces 10 years for cover-up

THE mother of the notorious Scissor Sisters could face up to 10 years behind bars for covering up the brutal murder of her African boyfriend.

Kathleen Mulhall cried as she was led back to jail yesterday after admitting she cleaned up her Dublin home when Farah Swaleh Noor was violently bludgeoned and knifed to death.

The 38-year-old’s hacked-up torso was later recovered in the Royal Canal at Ballybough. His severed head and penis have never been found.

Mulhall’s daughters, Linda and Charlotte, are in jail for killing the Kenyan almost four years ago after a heavy drinking session.

Their mother faced numerous charges in connection with impeding the murder probe, but as a jury was due to be sworn in at Dublin’s Central Criminal Court she dramatically pleaded guilty to one single count.

The 53-year-old, who fled the country after Mr Noor’s death in March 2005 and returned voluntarily last February, admitted she cleaned up the murder scene at 17 Richmond Cottages, Ballybough, to hide the evidence and prevent her daughters’ arrest.

Mulhall will be sentenced on May 5.

Wearing a black cap, black jacket, and red top, she cried as she was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Paul Carney.

More than two years ago Charlotte Mulhall was found guilty of murdering the Kenyan and jailed for life. The 26-year-old prostitute and mother-of-one later lost an appeal against her conviction.

Linda Mulhall, 33, was jailed for 15 years for manslaughter. The mother-of-four is attempting to appeal both her conviction and sentence at the Supreme Court.

Sentencing the sisters in December 2006, Mr Justice Carney said the case was the most grotesque of killings that had occurred within his professional lifetime.

During their trial, the court heard on the day of the brutal attack Linda, Charlotte, their mother and her partner had been drinking heavily in the city centre.

Back at their mother’s flat, the three women took ecstasy, and a crushed tablet was put into the victim’s drink so they were all on the same buzz.

It was claimed Farah made a pass at Linda but, telling him to get his hands off her sister, Charlotte picked up a Stanley blade and cut his throat and stabbed him.

Linda admitted hitting the victim numerous times over the head with a hammer.

The sisters then dragged his body into the bathroom and spent hours cutting it up with a bread knife and hammer.

Mr Noor’s torso and limbs were spotted by passers-by in the canal 10 days later.

The severed head was taken in a separate bag on the bus to Tallaght where it was buried and reburied in a number of locations. It has never been recovered.

Gardaí traced Mr Noor’s identity through media appeals and located his last address to Kathleen Mulhall’s home at Richmond Cottages, Ballybough.

The victim, who arrived in Ireland in December 1996, had claimed to be a Somalian called Sheilila Salim. He was granted citizenship in March 1999 on grounds he became the father of an Irish-born child.

The sisters and their parents were arrested in August last year, but denied any knowledge of the killing.

Their mother fled and father John Mulhall committed suicide, but he was not believed to have been involved in Mr Noor’s murder.

Linda, a heroin addict, later cracked and contacted investigating officers to admit her part in the brutal attack.