Murder suspect was ‘an item’ with alleged victim

A 37-year-old man has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman he had been "an item" with for three months.

Darren Murphy, of Dan Desmond Village, Passage West, Co Cork, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Olivia Dunlea, aged 36, at Pembroke Crescent, Passage West, on February 17, 2013.

Asked how he was going to plead to the charge, Mr Murphy said “not guilty, guilty of manslaughter“. Mr Murphy pleaded guilty to a second charge, that of arson on the deceased woman’s home.