Gardaí talked to woman hours before death

It has emerged that a woman found dead from head injuries was seen alive by officers at around 5am yesterday morning when they called to her home in the town after she was unable to gain access to her house.

Gardaí investigating the murder of a 57-year-old Catherine Smart in Midleton, Co Cork say they have found no evidence of forced entry at her home.

They now believe that the mother-of-three was fatally assaulted sometime between 5am and 9.45am yesterday morning.

Her body was found in the kitchen of her home at Bailick Court located just a quarter of a mile from the centre of Midleton town after gardaí responded to a call to the emergency services made by a male caller.

She had suffered serious head injuries and a local doctor pronounced her dead at the scene.

For operational reasons, gardaí have declined to reveal the results of a post-mortem examination, but the inquiry is understood to be a murder investigation.

They are appealing to anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the Bailick Road or Bailick Court area between 3am and 9.45am to contact Midleton garda station on 021-4631324.