Cork man jailed for murder faces retrial after winning appeal

A Cork man jailed for life last year for the murder of a mother of three in her home has won an appeal against conviction but now faces a possible retrial.

Darren Murphy, aged 38, of Dan Desmond Villas, Passage West, Co Cork, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Olivia Dunlea at Pembroke Crescent in Passage West on February 17, 2013, but admitted killing her.

Murphy had also admitted setting fire to Ms Dunlea’s home because, he claimed, he “didn’t want the kids to find her” and pleaded guilty to a second charge of arson.