Woman stabbed on front lawn had 'wounds to both lungs'

A Cavan woman who was stabbed to death on her front lawn suffered stab wounds to both her lungs that caused her death the Central Criminal Court at Dublin has heard.

Brendan McGahern (aged 28), with an address at Corlismore in Co Cavan has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Amy Farrell at Glenlara, Cavan, on January 20, 2006, but guilty to her manslaughter by way of diminished responsibility.

The Director of Public Prosecution has refused to accept his plea.

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis told the court Miss Farrell suffered three stab wounds, one which entered her back and punctured her right lung and one which entered her left chest area and punctured her left lung.

The 21-year-old also suffered a stab wound to her left upper arm and two wounds to her right leg, one that severed muscle in her upper thigh.

Toxicology reports showed traces of cocaine in her blood and urine, Dr Curtis said.

Yesterday Mr Justice Paul Carney along with the jury of eight men and two women heard from a friend of Miss Farrell who witnessed the stabbing.

Anthony Gerard Smith told Alex Owens SC for the prosecution, he was at the house when McGahern called around

He said after asking Miss Farrell what she was doing that night McGahern asked if he could speak to her outside.

Moments later Mr Smith heard Miss Farrell screaming and went outside where he saw Miss Farrell on the ground with McGahern standing over her.

“I saw him strike her but it was only when he stood back that I realised what he was doing,” Mr Smith said.

He saw a knife in McGahern’s hand.

“During the time he was standing over her ‘don’t f*** with us’ he was saying that,” Mr Smith said.

The court heard yesterday Miss Farrell had given evidence in Virginia District Court against an acquaintance Brendan Kelly on January 19, 2006, the day before she was killed.

Kelly, who was friends with McGahern, was convicted of assaulting her and another man Daniel McCabe and sentenced to 16 months in prison, the court heard.

Evidence was given that McGahern had been at the court that day with McCabe and his girlfriend Stephanie Cahill.

During cross-examination yesterday defence counsel David Kennedy SC said McGahern was brain damaged at birth, was illiterate and had been teased and bullied as a child.

He said McGahern had left school at 16 and had fallen in with a bad crowd and had drug and alcohol problems. He asked Mr Smith if he knew McGahern had spent time in a mental hospital in Dundrum or whether he knew McGahern’s parents had to rescue him off the street because he could not look after himself.

Mr Smith said he did not know these things.

The case continues.