Wicklow man found guilty of Anne Shorthall's murder

A 40-year-old Wicklow man has been found guilty of murdering a woman he cheated on his wife with.

Roy Webster beat Anne Shortall with a hammer on Good Friday 2015 and later hid her body in a work shop adjacent to his home in Ashford.

His trial heard they had a one night stand the previous Christmas and he claimed he was provoked to attack because she was blackmailing him.

He told Gardaí she claimed she was pregnant and was threatening to tell his wife and children if he didn't give her thousands of euro for an abortion.

He looked surprised when he heard the unanimous verdict and shook his head in disbelief as he was being led out of the court room a short time ago.