Irish actor denies murdering elderly woman

Irish actor Paudge Behan is being investigated over the murder of an elderly woman stabbed 13 times in her Tuscan villa, Italian police said today.

Carabinieri in Arcidosso, near the town of Grosseto, said that Behan had been questioned about the killing of Silvana Abate. They said the woman, a retired furrier, was stabbed last Thursday.

Behan caught the attention of investigators when he sought treatment at a nearby hospital for a cut on his thigh. The actor told Italian state radio he was innocent.

Police said they have seized a knife belonging to the actor, who lives in the area.

Behan’s films include 'Veronica Guerin' and 'Conspiracy of Silence'.