Killer fails in appeal against life sentence

A Dublin man who was jailed for life for the murder of his partner of 21 years, whom he kicked in the stomach with such force that it split her liver, has failed in an appeal against his conviction.

The Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday ruled that the judge in the trial of Derek Finlay, aged 43, gave sufficient direction on the issue of intent to the jury, who in turn decided that the accused had intended to cause the serious injury that resulted in the death of Noeleen Brennan, aged 38.

Brendan Grehan, for the applicant, had submitted there was an absence of intent on Finlay’s behalf to cause serious injury and that it was necessary for the trial judge to give some guidance to the jury on intent to cause serious injury as opposed to intent to cause moderate, or something less than serious injury.