Macroom murder accused claims ex-husband stabbed her when she called him 'satanic'

Murder accused, Rita O'Driscoll (pictured), told interviewing gardaí that Timmy Foley "nearly killed me a couple of times". Picture: John Delea

The woman accused of murdering her ex-husband in Macroom claimed he began to stab her when she said to him, “You are satanic, you are evil.”

Rita O’Driscoll (aged 48) of Bridge Street, Bandon, County Cork, made this claim to gardaí when interviewed about the case by officers. 

A memo of this interview was read to Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

The accused woman denies murdering 44-year-old Timmy Foley at 12 Dan Corkery Place, Macroom, County Cork, on October 8, 2018, and a charge of assault causing serious harm to the deceased man’s brother, Jason Foley.

Ms O'Driscoll said he had stabbed her six times before but she had forgiven him. She said she underwent psychiatric treatment in hospital for post-traumatic stress disorder.

She described Jason Foley attacking her suddenly from behind in the kitchen and Timmy laughing. “I said he (Timmy) was evil and satanic. 

"He had a black-handled steak knife. He drove it into my head, the side of my head. I put my hand up to save my head. He cut my hand with it.

“I caught the knife and stabbed him once or twice. 

He is capable of murder. He is capable of killing. I was afraid for my life.

“Him and Jason started arguing. Jason picked up the knife. He stabbed Timmy a couple of times. I said, ‘Stop Jason’. Last thing I saw him lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

“I suffered battered wife syndrome. I was trying to protect myself when I stabbed him twice. He nearly killed me a couple of times. He broke my hand with an iron bar when I was pregnant with my child… my son.

“They (Timmy and Jason Foley) are evil people. Jason passed him a knife in Tipperary (in the past) and said, ‘She is an O’Driscoll, kill her’ and he gave Timmy a knife.

“I did not kill Timmy. I am not a murderer. I am a very good person with a good heart. All I did my whole life was help people. He was a controlling person.” 

Rita O’Driscoll told Detective Garda Donal O’Dwyer that Timmy Foley was violent on the phone to her and when she arrived in Macroom that evening he bullied her into going out to steal drink to bring home to them.

Assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified today the deceased sustained 28 stab wounds, including several to the hands and arms that could be considered defensive wounds.

She said four of the wounds were potentially fatal, namely wounds to a carotid artery, lung, liver and the vein between the right arm and heart.

“The cause of death was haemorrhage and shock due to multiple stab wounds,” Dr Bolster said.

The case goes into its ninth day at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork tomorrow.