Mother of woman killed by brother in Finglas shooting breaks down at inquest

The coroner, Aisling Gannon, said post-mortem results had shown Sandra Boyd (pictured) had died as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest. File photo

The mother of a Finglas woman who was fatally injured in a shooting incident in her home in Dublin earlier this year broke down at an inquest while giving evidence about formally identifying her daughter’s body.

Teresa Boyd burst into tears as her witness statement about seeing the body of her daughter, Sandra, was read out at a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court.

Ms Boyd described travelling with members of her family to the Dublin City Morgue in Whitehall to formally identify her daughter’s body to gardaí two days after her death. Sandra Boyd (36) a mother of five, suffered fatal injuries in a suspected accidental shooting in her home at Collins Place, Finglas, on March 19.

Emergency services rushed the victim to the Mater Hospital but she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The coroner, Aisling Gannon, said post-mortem results had shown Ms Boyd had died as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Detective Inspector Brona O’Reilly applied for an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25.2 of the Coroners Act on the basis that the DPP has directed that criminal proceedings should be instituted in the case. Det. Insp. O’Reilly said a criminal prosecution was currently before the Criminal Courts of Justice.

Criminal prosecution

Earlier this month, the victim’s younger brother, Derek Boyd (27), signed a guilty plea at Cloverhill District Court to a charge of killing his sister.

Boyd, also from Collins Place, had initially been charged with unlawful possession or control of five rounds of 9mm Luger calibre ammunition and a Kahr CW semi-automatic pistol in his sister's home. The accused has remained in custody since his arrest last March.

Boyd is due to be sentenced in relation to his sister’s unlawful death at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on October 7. The coroner granted the adjournment on a date to be fixed after the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

Ms Gannon offered her sympathy and condolences to Ms Boyd on the death of her daughter in such tragic circumstances.