Mulhall trial enters final stages

The trial of two Dublin sisters accused of murdering their mother’s boyfriend before disposing of his dismembered body in the Royal Canal has reached its final stages at the Central Criminal Court.

Mother-of-one Charlotte Mulhall ( aged 23 ) from Kilcare Gardens in Tallaght and Linda Mulhall, a mother-of-four (aged 31) from the same address have each pleaded not guilty to the murder of 38-year-old Sheilila Salim (also known as Farah Swaleh Noor) at Richmond Cottages Ballybough on March 20th last year.

The headless body of the Kenyan national was found in the canal ten days after the killing.

In her closing speech for the prosecution Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh BL told the jury that some of the evidence they heard had been “distressing, disturbing and shocking".

She said they must now decide what to make of the evidence and she said the prosecution would be inviting them to come to the conclusion that this was a case of murder.

However she told the jury members they must also consider the defences of provocation and self defence.

She said provocation could be in a situation where the deceased himself has provoked someone by his actions or words or a combination of both into a total loss of control and that they did the killing in that state.

She said they must consider Mr Noor’s behaviour generally and specifically on the night in question and whether that provoked Charlotte and Linda Mulhall into killing him in the particular manner they did.

She said they must also consider the defence of self-defence and if they believed this, this could lead to the acquittal of the two accused or a finding the killing was manslaughter.

The barristers for the two sisters are due to make their closing speeches to the jury which will then hear from trial judge Mr Justice Paul Carney before rising to consider its verdict either later today, or most likely tomorrow.