Woman jailed for life over murder

A woman has been handed down a life sentence after a jury found her guilty of murdering her partner last year.

Paula Farrell, aged 42, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, Co Louth, had denied murdering Wayne McQuillan, aged 30, on January 1, 2014.

After a period of three hours 27 minutes deliberating, a jury of four men and seven women at the Central Criminal Court brought in a unanimous verdict of guilty.

The sister of the deceased, Audrey McQuillan, read out a victim impact report on behalf of her parents, Bernie and Jim, telling the court it will haunt them forever to think that Wayne was killed by someone who should have loved and protected him as they had.

“It pains us therefore to think that as Wayne progressed in life and formed new relationships, relationships we had hoped would be caring and loving, that it was in fact one of these relationships that would lead to his death,” said Ms McQuillan.

The court heard how, not only did Farrell take their son and brother from them, she also took all their hopes and dreams.

“She took Wayne’s future and our future too,” said Ms McQuillan. “There will be no more birthday parties, no more Christmas gatherings and the New Year will never be the same for us again.

"We will never see him get his first home, get married, have children. We will never get to share all those celebrations with him. Our family is forever broken.”

Ms McQuillan then told the court that when Farrell killed her brother Wayne, she killed a part of her family.

Finally, she said they heard over the course of the trial, the accused use the words “hurt and numb” but the hurt she has inflicted upon their family is unbearable and some days they wish they could feel numb.