Woman denies murdering her husband during family get-together

The jury were shown photographs of the accused, Sarah Doyle, showing bruising to the bridge of her nose, her shoulder and injuries to her arm and wrist

Justice David Keane told the jury at the Waterford Courthouse that the trial is expected to take three weeks. Picture: Howard Crowdy

A woman accused of stabbing and killing her husband during a family get-together at their Wexford home has pleaded not guilty to murder.

Sarah Doyle, 32, from The Heath, Ramsgate, Gorey, is alleged to have stabbed Philip Doyle twice to his left side with a knife, causing a wound 15cm in depth. The incident is said to have happened during the early hours of Sunday, January 26, 2020.

Emergency services were called to the scene but to no avail and the father of three was pronounced dead at the scene outside the front of his home.

Mr Doyle, 33, was originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow, but had been living in Gorey with his wife Sarah Doyle and their two toddler sons. The couple, who had been together for several years, were married about six months prior to the incident.

Case for the prosecution

Opening the case, Paul Green, senior counsel prosecuting for the State, outlined to the jury events leading to the alleged fatal stabbing. Philip Doyle's daughter was staying with them the weekend of the alleged attack, along with his parents David and Jackie.

Sarah Doyle and her mother-in-law Jackie went for a night out in Gorey on Saturday evening and visited a number of pubs, before arriving back home separately. Jackie went to bed upstairs in the same room as her granddaughter Hannah but a disagreement took place when the accused arrived home.

Mr Green said this continued onto the landing of the house, where Philip Doyle became involved around the top of the stairs before the row moved downstairs.

"Ms Doyle produced a knife," he said, "and was responsible for inflicting two stab wounds on the late Philip Doyle, one of which was fatal."

Mr Green told the jury of seven women and five men that they must decide whether the accused intended to kill or cause serious injury to her husband during the incident. The jury viewed a number of photographs taken by gardaí at the scene of Ms Doyle during questioning by gardaí.

Among the photographs shown to the jury on Wednesday included ones showing bruising to the bridge of Sarah Doyle's nose, her shoulder and injuries to her right forearm and close to her wrist. Other photographs showed blood spatter on the tiles of the entrance to the home.

Ms Doyle, wearing a black top and black trousers, responded “not guilty” when asked how she pleaded to the charge. Family members of the deceased and the accused filled the courtroom while sitting on separate benches.

Justice David Keane told the jury that the trial is expected to take three weeks.