Woman pleads not guilty to murder of teen

A 20-year-old woman has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of teenage mother-of-two Emma McLoughlin (aged 19) who was stabbed to death in Laytown, Co Meath last year.

Kelly Noble, who appeared in court dressed in a black suit, denied the murder outside a supermarket at Ninch in the town on June 2, 2006.

Ms Noble, from Seaview in Laytown, also denied a second charge of unlawfully producing a knife in the course of a dispute or a fight, in a manner likely to inflict injury.

A jury of five men and seven women has been sworn in to hear the case which is due to begin on Thursday.

Mr Justice Paul Carney told the jury panel that the case could last up to three weeks.