Jury has four verdict options in dismemberment murder trial

The jury has risen to consider its verdict in the trial of two Dublin sisters accused of murdering their mother’s boyfriend before disposing of his dismembered and headless body in the Royal Canal.

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 pleased not guilty to the murder of 38-year-old Farah Swaleh Noor (also known as Sheilila Salim) at Richmond Cottages Ballybough on March 20, 2005.

Before rising, Mr Justice Paul Carney told the six men and six women of the jury that there were four verdicts open to them in respect of each accused.

They can either be found guilty of murder or, in the case of provocation, that offence can be reduced to manslaughter. They must also consider whether either woman acted in self defence which could reduce murder to manslaughter or result in a complete acquittal if the force used was found to be reasonably necessary by objective standards.

The jury must also consider whether each accused is guilty of the offence of “accessory after the fact” of the killing, where they found they were not directly concerned with the killing, but gave assistance to the person who perpetrated it.

The jury members who retired at 12.30pm today must also reach verdicts for each sister separately.